Research On Structure Design And Self-Repair Algorithm Of The Self-Reconfigurable Robot

Self-reconfigurable modular robots are composed of numbers of identical intelligent modules. These robots can change their aggregate shape autonomously. They are more versatile, flexible, robust, and capable than fixed-architecture robots. Therefore, they're suitable to work in space and deep sea exploration, nuclear station detection, unstructured and unknown environment. They have a broad application area and are worth researching.In this paper, a three-dimensional lattice self-reconfigurable modular robot M-Cubes is designed firstly. Its basic module is composed of a central cube and six rotating arms distributed on the six side of the cube. In order to improve the mechanical structure and meet the requirement of self-repair capability, force analysis is presented.Then, a new mechanical connector is designed, based on the requirement of self-repair and the result of force analysis. The new structure can make two modules connect more rigidly, and a normal module can connect and disconnect with any other module independently. After this, force analysis is proposed for the new connector, and it is compared with the former connector.Self-reconfigurable modular robot can metamorphose into different configuration by reorganizing the connection and locations of its modules. In order to describe this capability, a mathematical description of M-Cubes based on Graph Theory is presented. Then, the locomotion rules for M-Cubes modules are studied, which lays a basis for researching the self-repair algorithm.One of the most important features of self-reconfigurable modular robot is self-repair function. It means the robot can detect the bad modules and replace them with spare modules. This paper proposes a distributed self-repair algorithm for three-dimensional lattice modular robots, based on the geometrical characteristics of the modules. The algorithm can search an effective locomotion path so that the bad module is ejected and the replaced by spare module. At last, a computer simulation, using the Java 3D technology, shows the feasibility and effectiveness of this algorithm.