Paper Info
Title
Roombots: A hardware perspective on 3D self-reconfiguration and locomotion with a homogeneous modular robot.
Abstract
In this work we provide hands-on experience on designing and testing a self-reconfiguring modular robotic system, Roombots (RB), to be used among others for adaptive furniture. In the long term, we envision that RB can be used to create sets of furniture, such as stools, chairs and tables that can move in their environment and that change shape and functionality during the day. In this article, we present the first, incremental results towards that long term vision. We demonstrate locomotion and reconfiguration of single and metamodule RB over 3D surfaces, in a structured environment equipped with embedded connection ports. RB assemblies can move around in non-structured environments, by using rotational or wheel-like locomotion. We show a proof of concept for transferring a Roombots metamodule (two in-series coupled RB modules) from the non-structured environment back into the structured grid, by aligning the RB metamodule in an entrapment mechanism. Finally, we analyze the remaining challenges to master the full Roombots scenario, and discuss the impact on future Roombots hardware.
Year
DOI
Venue
2014
10.1016/j.robot.2013.08.011
Robotics and Autonomous Systems
Keywords
Field
DocType
Self-reconfiguring,Modular robots,Active connection mechanism,Module joining,Module climbing,Grid environment,Homogeneous modular robotic system
Robotic systems,Computer science,Simulation,Homogeneous,Proof of concept,Self-reconfiguring modular robot,Modular design,Computer hardware,Robot,Grid,Control reconfiguration
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
62
7
0921-8890
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
18
0.88
61
Authors
5
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Alexander Spröwitz123315.87
Rico Moeckel21178.76
Massimo Vespignani313911.02
Stéphane Bonardi4584.52
Auke Jan Ijspeert53546282.93