Self-reconfigurable robots

Murata, Satoshi; Kurokawa, Haruhisa

doi:10.1109/mra.2007.339607

Cited by 180 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Rotate in its x/y/z axis means it has a DOF along that axis. Attach and Detach to/from other modules is designed for selfreconfigurable modules with active links (SMAs or electromechanical latches) [31,32].…”

Section: Indicatorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A behaviour-based control architecture for heterogeneous modular, multi-configurable, chained micro-robots

Brunete

Hernando

Gambao

et al. 2012

Robotics and Autonomous Systems

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This article presents a new control architecture designed for heterogeneous modular, multi-configurable, chained micro-robots. This architecture attempts to fill the gap that exists in heterogeneous modular robotics research, in which little work has been conducted compared to that in homogeneous modular robotics studies. The architecture proposes a three-layer structure with a behaviour-based, low-level embedded layer, a halfdeliberative half-behaviour-based high layer for the central control, and a heterogeneous middle layer acting as a bridge between these two layers. This middle layer is very important because it allows the central control to treat all modules in the same manner, facilitating the control of the robot. A communication protocol and a module description language were also developed for the control architecture to facilitate communication and information flow between the heterogeneous modules and the central control. Owing to the heterogeneous behaviour of the architecture, the system can automatically reconfigure its actions to adapt to unpredicted events (such as actuator failure). Several behaviours (at low and high levels) are also presented here.

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Section: Indicatorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A behaviour-based control architecture for heterogeneous modular, multi-configurable, chained micro-robots

Brunete

Hernando

Gambao

et al. 2012

Robotics and Autonomous Systems

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“…Modular robots are built using multiple small modules that makes it possible to build a robot capable of going through rough terrain and uneven surfaces. Yim et al (2007), Salemi et al (2006), and Murata and Kurokawa (2007) developed self-reconfigurable robots with multiple modules automatically morphing to arbitrary shapes using reconfigurable connections. Several other researchers (Lee and Lee 2009;Zhu et al 2011) developed mobile sensor nodes by connecting two magnet-wheeled modules by a flexible beam.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconfigurable swarm robots for structural health monitoring: a brief review

Jahanshahi

Shen

Mondal

et al. 2017

Int J Intell Robot Appl

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Autonomous monitoring of infrastructure systems offers a promising alternative to manual inspection techniques which are mostly tedious, expensive and prone to error. Robot-based autonomous monitoring systems not only provide higher precision, but they also allow frequent inspection of infrastructure systems at a much lower cost. Recent advancements in robotic systems have led to the development of reconfigurable swarm robots (RSR) that can change their shape and functionality dynamically, without any external intervention. RSR have the advantages of being modular, on-site reconfigurable, multifunctional, incrementally assemble-able, reusable, faulttolerant, and even repairable on the orbit. Newly-developed reconfigurable robots are expected to bring a radical change in the prevailing structural health monitoring techniques, thus augmenting the efficiency, accuracy and affordability of inspection operations. This paper presents a holistic review of the previous studies and state-of-the-art technologies in the field of RSR, and argues that RSR offer great potential advantages from the perspective of monitoring and assessment of civil and mechanical systems. A roadmap for future research has also been outlined based on the limitations of the current methods and anticipated needs of future inspection systems.

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“…Furthermore, the systems are expected to reach unforeseen functionalities, self-repair themselves when damaged, efficiently reuse components and self-replicate. All these potentials however can only be reached when overcoming challenges in mechanical design and control of the system and its subunits [3], [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…), as well as algorithms for control problems like self-assembly or self-reconfiguration [5]. Currently, a major limitation of multi-cellular systems is the general lack of flexibility when increasing the number of cells [3], [4], [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soft Cell Simulator: A tool to study soft multi-cellular robots

Germann

Maesani

Stockli

et al. 2013

2013 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics (ROBIO)

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Abstract-Modular or multi-cellular robots hold the promise to adapt their morphology to task and environment. However, research in modular robotics has traditionally been limited to mechanically non-adaptive systems due to hard building blocks and rigid connection mechanisms. To improve adaptation and global flexibility, we suggest the use of modules made of soft materials. Thanks to recent advances in fabrication techniques the development of soft robots without spatial or material constraints is now possible. In order to exploit this vast design space, computer simulations are a time and cost-efficient tool. However, there is currently no framework available that allows studying the dynamics of soft multi-cellular systems. In this work, we present our simulation framework named Soft Cell Simulator (SCS) that enables to study both mechanical design parameters as well as control problems of soft multi-cellular systems in an time-efficient yet globally accurate manner. Its main features are: (i) high simulation speed to test systems with a large number of cells (real-time up to 100 cells), (ii) large non-linear deformations without module self-penetration, (iii) tunability of module softness (0-500 N/m), (iv) physicsbased module connectivity, (v) variability of module shape using internal actuators. We present results that validate the plausibility of the simulated soft cells, the scalability as well as the usability of the simulator. We suggest that this simulator helps to master and leverage the potential of the vast design space to generate novel soft multi-cellular robots.

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Self-reconfigurable robots

Cited by 180 publications

References 27 publications

A behaviour-based control architecture for heterogeneous modular, multi-configurable, chained micro-robots

A behaviour-based control architecture for heterogeneous modular, multi-configurable, chained micro-robots

Reconfigurable swarm robots for structural health monitoring: a brief review

Soft Cell Simulator: A tool to study soft multi-cellular robots

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