A newly designed "transformer" robot with the ability to change shape could one day be used to build habitats in space.
Engineers from North Carolina State University (NC State) have created a plastic cubed structure that can transform into more than 1,000 configurations using only three active motors. In theory, their design — which was largely inspired by the paper-folding art of origami — offers a more efficient way to send assembly structures into space, where the robot could then "transform" to serve various purposes, including carrying a load, according to an NC State statement.
