MIT develops lunar robot with worm-like arms.

MIT engineers have designed a modular lunar robot called WORMS (Walking Oligomeric Robotic Mobility System) that can be configured into various "species" of robots resembling spiders, elephants, goats, and oxen. The system includes worm-like robotic limbs that can be swapped out for the task at hand, allowing astronauts to assemble and disassemble them like a high-tech Lego set. The team has already developed a six-legged prototype and successfully demonstrated assembly, disassembly, and navigation in a recent field test. The design is flexible, sustainable, and cost-effective, making it an effective system for future space exploration.