In drawing this I experienced a small fraction of the hell it would be to actually try building one.
Transcript
LOG 5.2: Electrician Worms
Image: A segmented worm-like robot with a soft plastic exterior, thin retractable ribbon-like legs, and a cone shaped face made of a ring of flooded thin metallic tool arms. It has two camera arms that it holds up like eye stalks.
Electrician worms are soft-bodied robots that contain sophisticated, flexible pneumatic interiors. Much like modular frontloaders, they can either be remote controlled, or given a program to complete with their simple onboard AI. They are often used to repair or delicately dismantle electronic parts hidden in tight spaces on spacecraft, and come in a variety of sizes (although the smallest ones have much more limited equipment and self-governance). The exact set of tools found in their manipulator set can vary, and some worms are specialized for tasks including light welding, metal cutting, and drilling.
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Cameras
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wire stripper
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heavy manipulator
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soldering iron
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soldering paste printhead
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wire cutter
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fine manipulator
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drill
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soldering paste storage
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CPU
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batteries
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retractable legs
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pneumatic segments
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retroflective polymer skin
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refueling ports
Leg Components:
Image: A cross section of one of the ribbon-like legs shows it contains thin cables attached to the inside of its flexible flat plastic casing.
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electrostatic adhesive pad
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cable tendons
Cables pull on the inside of the thin leg casing, flexing it to grip surfaces without adding bulk.
Segment Locomotion:
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Turning
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Twisting
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Extension
The pneumatic segments push against each other, while intersegmental servos twist and push segments to produce a wide range of motion for navigating tight spaces.
31 thoughts on “Runaway to the Stars: Page 164”
Mr. Skeleton
The anatomy of a wiggly worm.
bryn
oh worm?
dokki
the fact their legs are electrostatic is SO COOL. usually mechanical legs take the spider-y hydraulic route but this is genuinely so cool and innovative, it keeps them worms and not millipedes
dokki
I want a plushie or some kind of 3d printed slugtoy thing of one of these guys. They are such a wonderful shape
40
Ah yes, the Bug Ferret.
Redacted
Succumb to the worm. Succumb to the worm.
Apollo235
Fuck these things are rad
Also, possible typo in line 2 of transcript “ring of flooded thin metallic tool arms”. Should that be FOLDED?
Marcie
No wonder Bid doesn’t really love using RC Units! this is so much to keep track of
Eux
excellent, love to learn more about dirtball infrastructure
Lamprey
i could be trusted with one of these,,,
not one misdeed to be done….
Spinland
I do solemnly swear that I am up to no good.
Rose
a labeled cross-section AND locomotion explanation? thank you for this delicious meal
Bruce Mickelson
A very impressive design concept! The work you had to put into the illustration is greatly appreciated. I want one too!
Light_In_The_Fog
They sorta look like bug ferrets! Was that intentional?
Jay Eaton
It’s been so long I honestly don’t remember my intentions. These are human-made technology though
Trees
Me, in 2333 listening to the electrician worms scuttle through the ducts: ‘Welp! Time to weld my cabin door shut and etch the ninefold wards to hide me from the sight of God’.
Greebus
I love this world you’ve created. It’s so rich and detailed.
Rubicon Art
I’d still love you if you was a woim, boss.
Adrienne
“In drawing this I experienced a small fraction of the hell it would be to actually try building one”
Yeah I can’t say I envy what you must have went through. Sure looks great all finished though!
qoala
These are amazing
Guest
This is awesome! They kind of look like bug ferrets. I wonder if the bug ferrets invented them? Or maybe humans did.
WayanayaW
I am FASCINATED by the structure of these worms, thank you for taking the time to show a cross section despite the horrors of drawing them :0
Amanda/OwlBear
super super cool, glad we’re getting a closer look at one of these
Pathfinder42
WORM!
I wonder if the heads can disconnect to perform maintenance and repair of the CPU and refill the solder paste. Maybe the paste reserves is refilled by a little straw/syringe. Fascinating little guys!
JoB
In the same vein, I hope that those batteries are rechargeable without disassembly …
the Inmara
Looks like there’s a tube coming from the paste reservoir that goes down the center of the worm towards its rear, where the refueling ports are. That’s probably how the paste is refilled.
Avardent
Very cool! I imagine they can be quite creepy in person, especially inside a dark ship
Amanda/OwlBear
Things you would not want to encounter if this were a horror comic, thankfully it’s not
or at least not yet, and I don’t think Jay as plans for that
blythe
nah these guys are adorable, i want 20. what if not person. what if 200 worms in a trenchcoat.
Amanda/OwlBear
yes yes, they’re very cute
but given the right tone (think darkened passages in some rickety space station where things are going very wrong), and some cutting implements, guided by something deeply unfriendly (SHODAN, HAL, or the like), that cuteness could be turned to some very unkind ends
Raydfil
oh my goodness i love them dearly!!!! they almost remind me of bobbit worms with their soft body and tool heads !!