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Fiberglass-spinning robots could be construction workers of the future

The bots could be used for construction in remote places such as on the seafloor or in space

fiberglass pipes made by robots

TOTALLY TUBULAR Silkwormlike robots that spin strands of fiberglass into durable custom-shaped pipes (as seen above, holding up in winter weather) could someday help build infrastructure in deserts, on the seafloor or perhaps on other planets.

M. Kayser et al/Science Robotics 2018

By Maria Temming

- More than 2 years ago

Much like a silkworm uses a single thread to swaddle itself in a cocoon, a new kind of robot spins a single strand of material around its body to build custom-shaped fiberglass structures.