Scalable and reconfigurable configurations and locomotion gaits for chain-type modular reconfigurable robots

Modular reconfigurable robots have shown the promises of great versatility and robustness; however they also impose design challenges on mechanical, electronic and software scalability. In this paper, we present a class of configurations that are scalable mechanically and electronically. Moreover, there exists a predefined reconfiguration sequence between any of the three configurations, namely, snakes, centipedes, and multi-loops. Locomotion gaits for the three configurations are defined and created using Phase Automata, a generalization of gait tables. The system has been tested both in simulation of 100+ modules and in hardware of 50+ modules.