Emergent Structures in Modular Self-Reconfigurable Robots

We demonstrate how simple local sensing and control rules achieve useful emergent behaviors in modular self-reconfigurable (metamorphic) robots. Our biologically inspired approach grows structures with the desired functionality even though the final shapes have some unspecified random variation. By contrast, other self-reconfiguration algorithms require an a-priori exact description of a target shape for the given task, which may be difficult when a robot operates in uncertain environments. We present and evaluate several control algorithms through simulation experiments of Proteo, a metamorphic robot system.

Authors

• Hristo Bojinov
• Arancha Casal
• Tad Hogg

Keywords

• Shape
• Robot sensing systems
• Distributed control
• Orbital robotics
• Robotics and automation
• Topology
• Robustness
• Manufacturing
• Costs
• Mass production
• Modular Self-reconfigurable Robots
• Metamorphic
• Robotic System
• Bioinspired
• Target Shape
• Control Rules
• Transition State
• Range Of Motion
• Adaptive Behavior
• Order Modes
• State Machine
• Dynamic Adaptation
• Interior Structure
• Direct Object
• Artificial Life
• Regular Lattice
• Weight Shift
• Branch Level
• Search Mode
• Sleep Mode