This paper presents our work towards a decentralized reconfiguration strategy for self-reconfiguring modular robots, assembling furniture-like structures from Roombots (RB) metamodules. We explore how reconfiguration by locomotion from a configuration A to a configuration B can be controlled in a distributed fashion. This is done using Roombots metamodules-two Roombots modules connected serially-that use broadcast signals, lookup tables of their movement space, assumptions about their neighborhood, and connections to a structured surface to collectively build desired structures without the need of a centralized planner.

Abstract. The promise of service orientation is that it enables an organization to prosper by delivering continuous value to customers. This prosperity is of strategic value to the organization. There is value in service orientation for both the organization and its customers. We call these two values, customer value and strategic value. When designing a service it is necessary to align both value propositions with the service building blocks. We propose to use a systemic method where whole and composite reasoning are interleaved on both the organizational and functional dimensions. We begin by producing an as-is model that describes how customer value is delivered by a set of actors and the responsibility of each actor. Improvement opportunities are identified in terms of customer value and strategic value to the organization. A to-be model is built that specifies the new interaction between actors and their new responsibilities. The method is illustrated with an example.

The promise of service design is to enable a service supplier to prosper by delivering continuous value to customers. This prosperity is of strategic value to the service supplier. There is value in a service for both the service supplier and its service customers. The authors call these two values, service supplier value and service adopter value. When designing a service, it is necessary to align both value propositions with the service components and service features. In this paper, the authors propose a systemic method where whole (i.e., black box) and composite (i.e., white box) reasoning are interleaved on the organizational and functional dimensions. The authors begin by producing an as-is model that describes how the value is created for the customer and captured by the service supplier. Service improvement opportunities are identified in terms of value to both service adopter and service supplier. A to-be model is built that specifies the new interaction between actors and their new responsibilities and thereby, new service components and features. The method is illustrated with an example based on the service offering and implementation of Amazon.com in Amazon Marketplace.