Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Niels Martin Larsen is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of digital fabrication, architectural design, and sustainable material science. His work fundamentally reimagines how we use wood in construction, shifting from standardized timber to naturally irregular materials. Larsen’s core research focuses on developing integrated workflows—from robotic processing to augmented reality (AR)-aided assembly—that allow architects to work with "crooked" sawlogs and naturally curved oak, turning what was once considered waste into high-value structural components. His most influential paper, "Robotic processing of crooked sawlogs for use in architectural construction" (2020, 16 citations), established a new paradigm for material-efficient building. This is complemented by his work on lightweight reciprocal frame timber structures (2021, 14 citations) and the creation of prototypes from naturally curved wood (2022, 13 citations). Across his publications, Larsen has accumulated over 60 citations, demonstrating growing influence in the field. His notable achievement is the development of a complete fabrication workflow for irregular sawlogs, which directly challenges industrial norms by using computation to celebrate, rather than erase, a tree’s natural form. For students and researchers, Larsen’s work offers a compelling vision: a future where digital tools help us build more sustainably by embracing the inherent beauty and complexity of natural materials.