Emerging and research robotics
Modular Self Reconfigurable Robots
Modular robots connect repeated units into a larger mechanism. EPFL's Mori3 uses triangular modules to study changes in physical shape.
How these robots work
Module geometry, connectors and control determine the configurations the robot can form. Reconfiguration adds docking and coordination tasks to the movement problem.
How to compare the task
Distinguish a manually rebuilt module set from autonomous reconfiguration. A system's available shapes do not establish that it can switch between them without help.
Examples and applications
- Reconfigurable structures
- Triangular module assemblies
- Modular locomotion research
Limits of this category
- Connectors must carry the loads of the assembled shape.
- A modular mechanism may be less suited to a specific task than a dedicated one.
What to check for the intended task
- State whether modules connect without external help
- Measure time and failures during docking
- Test the connected structure under the task load
Sources and further reading
Reference updated .
Technical explanation and proposed checks. No hands-on performance result is claimed.