Scalable modular self-reconfigurable robots using external actuation

This paper presents a method for scaling down the size and scaling up the number of modules of self- re configurable systems by focusing on the actuation mechanism. Rather than developing smaller actuators, the main actuator is removed entirely. Energy instead comes from the environment to provide motion in prescribed synchronous ways. Prescribed synchronous motions allow much faster assembly times than random Brownian motion which has been used before. An instantiation of this idea is presented using a motion platform to induce motions based on the inertial properties of the modules and the timed actuation of small latching mechanisms.

[1]  Eiichi Yoshida,et al.  M-TRAN: self-reconfigurable modular robotic system , 2002 .

[2]  Seth Copen Goldstein,et al.  Programmable Matter , 2005, Computer.

[3]  Wei-Min Shen,et al.  Docking in self-reconfigurable robots , 2001, Proceedings 2001 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems. Expanding the Societal Role of Robotics in the the Next Millennium (Cat. No.01CH37180).

[4]  Hod Lipson,et al.  Three Dimensional Stochastic Reconfiguration of Modular Robots , 2005, Robotics: Science and Systems.

[5]  Ying Zhang,et al.  Distributed Control for 3D Metamorphosis , 2001, Auton. Robots.

[6]  Marsette Vona,et al.  Crystalline Robots: Self-Reconfiguration with Compressible Unit Modules , 2001, Auton. Robots.

[7]  Mark Yim,et al.  Telecubes: mechanical design of a module for self-reconfigurable robotics , 2002, Proceedings 2002 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (Cat. No.02CH37292).

[8]  Padmanabhan Pillai,et al.  Sensing and reproducing the shapes of 3D objects using claytronics , 2006, SenSys '06.

[9]  Pradeep K. Khosla,et al.  Mechatronic design of a modular self-reconfiguring robotic system , 2000, Proceedings 2000 ICRA. Millennium Conference. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. Symposia Proceedings (Cat. No.00CH37065).

[10]  Mark Yim,et al.  PolyBot: a modular reconfigurable robot , 2000, Proceedings 2000 ICRA. Millennium Conference. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. Symposia Proceedings (Cat. No.00CH37065).