We have completed maintenance on DiscoverMagazine.com and action may be required on your account. Learn More

"Fiberbot" Construction Workers Spin Fiberglass Like a Spider

Are these robot builders the future of construction?

By Lacy Schley
Dec 18, 2018 6:00 PMJan 3, 2020 9:00 PM
Robo Builders - The Mediated Matter Group
(Credit: The Mediated Matter Group)

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
 

Researchers at MIT have developed fiberglass-spinning robots that could be construction workers of the future, building on sites where access is limited or dangerous. At first glance, these Fiberbots resemble a camping lantern. Affixed to the top is a rotating arm that spins out a fiberglass strand around the rest of the robot, akin to a silkworm cocooning itself by spinning a silk thread. An ultraviolet light hardens the fiberglass “cocoon” into a hollow tube. Then, the bot inches up to the top of the stabilized tube section. It repeats the process, eventually building a customizable pipelike structure. The hope is that the Fiberbots can someday build remotely in hard-to-reach places on Earth and beyond.

1 free article left
Want More? Get unlimited access for as low as $1.99/month

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

1 free articleSubscribe
Discover Magazine Logo
Want more?

Keep reading for as low as $1.99!

Subscribe

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

More From Discover
Recommendations From Our Store
Shop Now
Stay Curious
Join
Our List

Sign up for our weekly science updates.

 
Subscribe
To The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Copyright © 2024 Kalmbach Media Co.