Overview

Self-Reconfiguration and Self-Repair by a Modular Robot

Our research group is studying a robot composed of "mechanical elements" like cells in living things. These elements are called "modules" and this kind of robots are referred to "modular robots." 

Since a modular robot is capable of changing its structure by itself, it can move around or execute various tasks by adapting its shape to the external environments. This capacity is called "self-reconfiguration" or "self-assembly."

Moreover, in case of partial damage or fault, a robot composed of identical modules can repair itself by  replacing damaged or faulty part, which is called "self-repair."

A modular robot moving or executing tasks by adapting itself to the external environment.

 

What's New?

The newly developed modular robot, called Modular Transformer, or MTRAN, is characterized by the following features.

1. Self-reconfiguration of three-dimensional (3D) shapes

2. Not only static structure, but also dynamic robotic motion is possible.

So far, this kind of  modular robot has not been developed because: 

1. Conventional 3D self-reconfigurable modular robots can construct only static structures since one module is too complex and heavy.

2. Another type of robot, composed of  serially connected lightweight modules, can generate dynamic robotic motions, however they have difficulty in self-reconfiguration.

To solve the above problems, our research group has developed a new type of module.