digging in a different layer phoenix ' s right unit connected with a hard surface that has scientists excited about the prospect of then uncovered an arctic layer . " we have dug a channel and uncover a hard layers at the same depth as the ice surface in our other digging , " said washington university robotic arm agent for phoenix , lynn arvidson . the arm tried at least three times to infiltrate the layer , but was unsuccessful . as a result the arm goes into a holding pattern , await its previous commanded .
A robotic arm has been used for scientific discoveries.