Simon Schmid was born in 1990 in Braunau, Upper Austria, and grew up in nearby Neuhofen. In 2010, he graduated from technical school in Ried, where his training emphasized mechanical engineering and production technology.
That same year, he began his baccalaureate studies at the Technikum University of Applied Sciences in Vienna in biomedical engineering with a major in medical and hospital engineering. His degree thesis describes the development and implementation of a user interface to control a mobile robot platform designed to support paraplegics.
Following graduation, he enrolled in a master’s program in mechatronics/robotics in which the subject matter included electrical and mechanical engineering as well as artificial intelligence and its usage/implementation possibilities in conjunction with robots. His master’s thesis treats the development of a prototype to support people with severe sight impairments.
Since 2016, Simon has been supporting the Spaxels crew at the Ars Electronica Futurelab.
Key Works
Exploration of the art and science of robotic origami to design and produce strong, flexible, and highly irregular origami from textiles and 3D printing.
AI, robotics, programming, and more: This mobile learning platform for primary schools in rural areas offers children a hands-on learning experience.
Design of the multimedia exhibition in St. Mary’s Cathedral in Linz, which uses digital enhancements such as gigapixel images and interactive showcases to create new perspectives on sacred objects and the architecture of the cathedral.
Futurelab’s Fluxels, scalable robots with hexagonal LED displays, notably enhancing the 2021 Stream of Hope ceremonies in Japan with unique visual performances.