By Katherine Svenkeson

N.B. library unveils robot art printer

Jan 18, 2017 | 12:01 PM

The North Battleford Public Library has a new piece of technology that mixes computer science with artistic creation.

The library recently received an EggBot, a compact, open software, open source art robot.

Assistant librarian, Caroline Popadick, said that the robot can draw on any spherical or egg shaped object, objects that are normally difficult to print on, like eggs, golf balls, light bulbs and even mini pumpkins.

“It’s pretty fun, I mean it’s even fun to just watch,” Popadick said. “The fun part is coming up with the design and what you want to do with it or there are preset templates. But when it’s just drawing for a couple minutes it’s kinda neat to listen to and watch it do its own thing.”

The EggBot is hooked up to a computer with compatible software, and after setting an object in the holder and a marker in the slot, the device takes care of the work.

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“I think the neatest thing about it is it’s really easy to do,” Popadick said. “A lot of people [are] kind of thrown off by robots and stuff but it’s pretty straight forward.”

Some of the city’s youth will be the first to try out the device today, Jan. 18 as the library unveils it during their Teen IDEA Lab at 4 p.m.

“We’re trying to make the library more of an open, creative space. There’s an image that a library is just books but we’re a lot more,” she said. “We’re trying to offer new and innovative programming for people of all ages to learn in different ways. It provides more of hands on experience with computers and combines computer science and art in an artistic form.”

Katherine Svenkeson is a reporter with battlefordsNOW. She can be reached at katherine.svenkeson@jpbg.ca or on Twitter @ksvenkeson.