The self-reconfiguring robotic molecule: design and control algorithms

We discuss a robotic module called a Molecule. Molecules can be the basis for building self-reconnguring robots. They support multiple modalities of locomotion and manipulation. We describe the design, functional-ity, and control of the Molecule. We show how a set of Molecules can aggregate as active three-dimensional structures that can move and change shape. We show an eecient algorithm for planning the trajectory of Molecules for self-reconnguration. Finally, we discuss our Molecule experiments.

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