A spider-like robot is set to tackle construction challenges and potentially assist in building on the Moon in the future. ‘Charlotte’, was developed by Australian companies Crest Robotics and Earthbuilt Technology. Its purpose is to deliver low-cost, low-carbon housing capabilities on Earth.

It can 3D print a 200-square-metre house in 24 hours. “Attached to Charlotte’s undercarriage, Earthbuilt’s extrusion system will collect readily available materials such as sand, Earth, and waste products like crushed brick, which are then bound in fabric and compressed to form the layers of a building,” Crest Robotics said. The technique, similar to ‘Earthbagging’, packs loose material into large tubes or bags and then compacts to create wall layers.