A printer that can build a house? A University of Southern California professor has built a colossal 3-D printer that is capable of building a house in 24 hours.

Known as Contour Crafting, the technology could completely overhaul the construction industry in the future. Professor Behrokh Khoshnevis, the researcher behind the technology, has programmed a giant robot to spew out concrete and build a home based on a set computer pattern. The system can lay down cement by gliding along rails. Humans would take over for finishing touches, such as hanging doors and installing windows.

Researchers say the technology has the potential to reduce the total cost of buying a new home as well as make it possible to quickly build emergency and replacement housing following a major weather disaster.

The technology is currently being tested. The research is being funded by NASA and the Cal-Earth Institute, aimed at investigating the construction of modern civil structures as well as construction on the moon.

Source: Business Insider