8-legged robot “Charlotte” builds 2,000 sq ft homes from dirt and waste in 24 hours

Crest Robotics has unveiled Charlotte, an eight-legged spider-inspired construction robot that builds walls layer by layer using locally sourced dirt, sand, and waste materials. The robot combines autonomous navigation with 3D printing technology to construct flood-resistant, fireproof structures, potentially revolutionizing both earthbound construction and future lunar settlement building.

How it works: Charlotte operates as an autonomous construction system that maps building sites and adapts to terrain challenges in real-time.

• The robot’s spider-like legs bend and stretch to navigate obstacles, climb over unfinished flooring, and position precisely where each new layer needs to be deposited.
• Charlotte maps entire construction sites and adjusts for uneven terrain, continuing to print until the job is completed.
• Power comes from rechargeable batteries, making the system quiet and self-contained between shifts.

The building material: Charlotte transforms waste into construction material through Earthbuilt Technology’s innovative mixture process.

• The robot collects sand, local soil, and crushed brick or glass that would otherwise end up in landfills directly from construction sites.
• This mixture gets wrapped in fabric for strength and compressed into a dense paste ready for extrusion.
• Pumps force the material through a nozzle under the robot’s belly, depositing controlled ribbons that solidify into durable barriers.

Key performance metrics: The robot delivers construction speed that dramatically outpaces traditional methods.

• A full-scale version could build a 2,000 square-foot shelter in 24 hours, matching the output of 100 workers laying bricks by hand.
• One full battery charge can cover the footprint of a small family home, stacking walls to chest height or higher as the legs raise the robot’s body.
• The prototype has successfully built straight walls and basic curves, with software capabilities for incorporating doors and vents mid-construction.

Testing and development: Delray Beach serves as Charlotte’s primary testing ground for optimization efforts.

• The development team is experimenting with the extrusion head to optimize flow rates and cure times for different material compositions.
• Current prototypes demonstrate the robot’s ability to create both structural walls and curved architectural elements.

Space applications: Charlotte’s compact design positions it as a potential solution for lunar construction challenges.

• The robot folds into a launch-ready bundle with legs that tuck in like a folded map, addressing the impracticality of shipping full construction kits 240,000 kilometers to the moon.
• Once deployed on lunar regolith, Charlotte could print homes from moon dust and regolith simulants, making it invaluable for future lunar settlements where compact, fast-building tools are essential.