Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Steve Hodges is a versatile researcher whose work spans fabrication technology, pervasive computing, and educational making tools. Based at the intersection of hardware innovation and human-computer interaction, Hodges has made significant contributions to automated manufacturing and accessible digital fabrication. His most celebrated work, **LaserFactory** (2021, 53 citations), demonstrates his talent for reimagining commercial hardware: the platform enables fully autonomous fabrication of functional electromechanical devices and robots using a standard laser cutter — a remarkable leap toward end-to-end, intervention-free manufacturing. This ambition for accessibility continued with **Open5x** (2022, 33 citations), which democratizes 5-axis 3D printing through conformal slicing, addressing longstanding weaknesses in layer-based printing such as structural inconsistency and visible seams. Earlier in his career, Hodges explored UHF RFID optimization for real-world pervasive computing (2007, 38 citations), and his roots in robotics and machine vision stretch back to the 1990s, including work on uncalibrated stereo vision and RoboCup competition robots at Cambridge University. More recently, he has turned toward inclusive digital making for children, particularly through the BBC micro:bit ecosystem. Across three decades, Hodges has consistently pursued the goal of making complex fabrication and computation more approachable for everyone.