RoboBall Wants to Roll Into the Future and Eventually, Tackle Space Exploration

Texas A&M researchers developed RoboBall, a spherical robot for exploring challenging terrains, including the Moon. It uses an internal pendulum to shift its center of gravity, moving in any direction at up to 20mph across various surfaces. RoboBall III, a 6-foot diameter version, can inflate and deflate its shell to adjust traction and includes sensors and sampling instruments. Originally conceived at NASA, the project was revived at Texas A&M with state funding and has potential applications in search and rescue missions and environmental monitoring in disaster zones.