Software architecture for modular self-reconfigurable robots

Modular, self-reconfigurable robots show the promise of great versatility, robustness and low cost. However, programming such robots for specific tasks, with hundreds of modules and each of which with multiple actuators and sensors, can be tedious and error-prone. The extreme versatility of the modular systems requires a new paradigm in programming. We present a software architecture for this type of robot, in particular the PolyBot, which has been developed through its third generation. The architecture, based on the properties of the PolyBot electro-mechanical design, features a multi-master/multi-slave structure in a multi-threaded environment, with three layers of communication protocols. The architecture is currently being implemented for Motorola PowerPC using vxWorks.

Authors

• Ying Zhang
• Kimon Roufas
• Mark Yim

Keywords

• Software architecture
• Robot sensing systems
• Computer architecture
• Robot kinematics
• Robot programming
• Robustness
• Costs
• Actuators
• Protocols
• Application software
• Modular Self-reconfigurable Robots
• Paradigm Shift
• Communication Protocol
• Modular System
• Types Of Robots
• Multiple Actuators
• Synchronization
• Running
• Degrees Of Freedom
• Motor Control
• Types Of Modes
• Robotic System
• Error Detection
• Joint Angles
• Proportional-integral-derivative
• Data Frame
• Multiple Services
• Chain Segments
• Data Block
• Medium Access Control
• Programming Paradigm
• Inverse Kinematics
• Goal Position
• Multiple Processors
• High Modularity
• Examples Of Services
• Open-source Software