<title>I(CES)-cubes: a modular self-reconfigurable bipartite robotic system</title>

Abstract

In this manuscript, we introduce I(CES)-Cubes, a class of three-dimensional modular robotic system that is capable of reconfiguring itself in order to adapt to its environment. This is a bipartite system, i.e., a collection of (i) active elements capable of actuation, and (ii) passive elements acting as connectors between actuated elements. Active elements, called links, are 3-DOF manipulators that are capable of attaching/detaching themselves to/from the passive elements (cubes). The cubes can then be positioned and oriented using links, which are independent mechatronic elements. Self-reconfiguration property enables the system to perform locomotion tasks over difficult terrain. For example, the system would be capable of moving over obstacles and climbing stairs. These tasks are performed by positioning and orienting cubes and links to form a threedimensional network with required shape and position. This paper describes the design of the passive and active elements, the attachment mechanisms, and several reconfiguration scenarios. Specifics of the hardware implementation and results of experiments with current prototypes are also given.

Kinematics and the Implementation of a Modular Caterpillar Robot in Trapezoidal Wave Locomotion

“…Due to these advantages, the past three decades has seen the rapid development of modular self-reconfigurable robots. Up until now, a variety of modular robots have been designed, such as ACM [1], CEBOT [10], Polypod [11], Tetrobot [12], Fracta [13], TeleCube [14], I-Cube [15], Fractum [16], Semicylindrical [17], Proteo [18], Crystalline [19], MTRAN [20], PolyBot [21], SMC Rover [22], Conro [23], Atron [24], Swarm-bot [25], Catom [26], Miniature [27], Microunit [28], Stochastic [29], Metamorphic [30], Molecubes [31], SuperBot [32], YaMoR [33], Miche [34], CKBot [35], ModRED [36], SMORES [37], HitMSR II [38], etc. According to the different geometrical arrangements of the robotic modules, the architectures of modular selfreconfigurable robot systems can be classified into three kinds: lattice [30], chain [21] and hybrid [20].…”

Mechatronic design of a modular self-reconfiguring robotic system

“…Link #2 is now free to move the cube to its next destination (Figure 10c-d). Similar examples for different link and cube configurations are given in [9,10]. …”

“…The required number of faces with attachment points is two for the camera-equipped robot. It is also possible for a larger group to self-reconfigure into a tower to lift a surveillance robot to see beyond relatively larger obstacles [9]. The second scenario illustrates an important characteristic of the system.…”

“…The depth of a faceplate is lcm; therefore, when six faceplates are combined to form a cube, the maximum available volume inside the cube for computational elements, sensor and power source is slightly larger than the volume of a 6-cm cube. Previous designs for the attachment mechanism are discussed in [9,10].…”

Generic distributed assembly and repair algorithms for self-reconfiguring robots

“…In this type of system the modules are not capable of acting independently, and thus must remain connected. [20] is an example of a bipartite system with non-autonomous modules. Control algorithms exist for all the above implementations, although they are usually hardware specific.…”