Winter reported that the razor clam can dig so quickly and hold on so tightly because of an odd series of steps it takes when burrowing. It's "foot" wiggles into the sand and then the clam makes a quick up-and-down movement, while also opening and closing its shell. Researches noted that these series of movements essentially turn the surrounding soil into a type of quick sand, which reduces the drag on the clam's shell and enable it to propel itself with speed and force.

According to MIT, Winter built a RoboClam prototype that includes pressure regulators and pistons that control the force it uses to dig. They're now putting the robot through a series of tests. There was no indication how soon it could be used commercially.