The ARMADAS team provided structural plans to the robots, but they didn’t micromanage their work, per the release. Instead, software algorithms did the job of planning the robots’ tasks. The test demonstrated a crucial part of the programs’ capabilities — the system practiced the build sequence in simulation before it started the real run.
While NASA didn’t elaborate on applications for the robots here on Earth, the agency did emphasize the machines’ potential “to build large-scale infrastructure, such as solar power stations, communications towers and habitats,” on the moon or Mars. It also highlighted the ability of bots to build structures “before humans arrive.” The team published its results in the journal Science Robotics.
