Engineering Prototype Of Underwater Self-Reconfigurable Robot

Modular Self-Reconfigurable robot (MSR robot for short) is a new concept of robot. MSR robot consists of several modules which have the similar or identical function. According to the work environment external or different tasks of the robot, these modules can change their topology configuration by themselves and complete the work best by changing space structure. Modular Self-Reconfigurable robot consists of several identical modules. Once, a module of the self-reconfigurable robot system failure, the system will detect the place of the failed module. And then the other alternative or redundant modules will replace the failed module by configuration change. Its self-repair capacity has improved the reliability of Modular Self-Reconfigurable robot.Underwater modular self-reconfigurable robot is a special kind of MSR robots, and it has most of the advantages belong to MSR robot. Underwater environment filled with unknown, through the analysis of their own work environment, underwater modular self-reconfigurable robot will automatically transformed into a suitable configuration to complete the tasks witch the ROV, AUV and other submersibles can not do.Underwater self-reconfigurable robot consists of modules which have the same functions and it can flexibly change its shape. It possesses outstanding advantages such as simple basic module, system structure diversity, adaptability and robustness, fault tolerance, self-repair and so on. So this robot is very suitable for complex and unstructured environments such as undersea exploration, this has a wide application prospect and great research significance. The most fundamental characteristics of Self-reconfigurable robot is decentralized structure of the overall system, this feature makes the self-reconfigurable system significantly different to conventional submersible overall technical system. For engineering prototype of underwater self-reconfigurable robot, we study general technical through environmental adaptability and application efficiencyThis paper is based on the design goals of engineering prototype of Underwater Self-Reconfigurable Robot (We call it Underwater Transformers, U-TRAN for short). The overall program of the U-TRAN robot was discussed in detail. The related sections of this paper give the key technical analysis and design of U-TRAN. Focus on how to implement configuration of conversion in the water and the process of docking, docking claw design, buoyancy regulation mechanism design, underwater wet plug connection and optical navigation technology. Finally, by way of experiment verified the feasibility and effectiveness of program.