Japan is planning to send an actual transformer robot to study the lunar surface. JAXA or Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has officially announced that they will be sending a transformer-styled robot that will be the size of a baseball or take up a total size of under 10 inches in circumference.
JAXA and Sony along with Doshisha University along with Tomy will come together to make the spherical robot rover that can transform itself to drive across the lunar surface and not roll around on the Moon.
The need arises for a transforming robot despite the better rolling model which provides for lesser friction but also less control of the direction as well as stopping.
The spherical transformer robot is expected to weigh around 250 grams in weight and will accompany the 2029 crew on their lunar mission. Private lunar robotic exploration company, ispace, will be made into a small and compact ball which will house the entire machinery for the lunar lander.
As soon as the crew arrives on the Moon, the ball-shaped housing of the robot will unfold to form the fully-functioning transforming Lunar robot. The visuals will be provided by Sony, which they are in development already to provide the optics, basically the eyes for the transformer robot.
Sony and Tomy are working together to develop and minitiarize the technology in such a small package. A press release by ispace mentions that the data acquired by the transforming robot will be used to further optimize the design.
