IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics

The goal of the Conro Project is to build deployable modular robots that can reconfigure into different shapes such as snakes or hexapods. Each Conro module is, itself, a robot and hence a Conro robot is actually a multirobot system. In this paper we present an overview of the Conro modules, the design approach, an overview of the mechanical and electrical systems and a discussion on size versus p... View full abstract»

This paper presents a role-based approach to the problem of controlling locomotion of chain-type self-reconfigurable robots. In role-based control, all modules are controlled by identical controllers. Each controller consists of several playable roles and a role-selection mechanism. A role represents the motion of a module and how it synchronizes with connected modules. A controller selects which ... View full abstract»

We present a distributed self-reconfiguring robot system with unit-compressible modules called the Crystal robot. A new design for the Crystal is presented that decouples the x axis and y axis actuation, has on-board sensing and has neighbor-to-neighbor communication. We also describe a suite of distributed control algorithms for this type of robot and associated experiments for each algorithm. Se... View full abstract»

In this paper, a novel robotic system called modular transformer (M-TRAN) is proposed. M-TRAN is a distributed, self-reconfigurable system composed of homogeneous robotic modules. The system can change its configuration by changing each module's position and connection. Each module is equipped with an onboard microprocessor, actuators, intermodule communication/power transmission devices and inter... View full abstract»

Chain modular robots form systems with many degrees of freedom which are capable of being reconfigured to form arbitrary chain-based topologies. This reconfiguration requires the detaching of modules from one point in the system and reattaching at another. The internal errors in the system (especially with large numbers of modules) are such that accurate movement of chain ends, required for the at... View full abstract»

The objective of this work is to enhance the mobility of small mobile robots by enabling them to link into a train configuration capable of crossing relatively large obstacles. In particular, we are building on Millibots, semiautonomous, tracked mobile sensing/communication platforms at the 5-cm scale previously developed at Carnegie Mellon University. The Millibot Train concept provides couplers ... View full abstract»

In this paper, the concept of self-replicating robots (SRRs) is reviewed, and the feasibility of a particular kind of minimalistic SRR is analyzed in the context of lunar resource development. The key issue that will determine the feasibility of this approach is whether or not an autonomous robotic factory can be devised such that it is light enough to be transported to the moon, yet complete in i... View full abstract»

Connectors for self-reconfiguring robots are difficult to design because of the wide range of requirements. We describe the DRAGON connector, whose most distinctive features are its ability to self-align and its strength-to-weight ratio. It weighs 170 g, but holds over 70-kg load. It is able to self-align ±15 mm (O/5) lateral offsets and ±45° directional and rotational offsets. I... View full abstract»

An application of Operational Software Components for Advanced Robotics (OSCAR) - a generalized robotic software framework - for kinematic control of hyper-redundant, self-reconfigurable systems is presented. OSCAR includes generalized kinematics, dynamics, device interfacing, and criteria-based decision making. The developed application allows an operator to interactively reconfigure modular chai... View full abstract»

A model that predicts the expansion of piezoceramic actuators when subject to dynamic-voltage excitations is developed as an extension of the classical Preisach model. The model is presented in a recursive form that is suitable for real-time implementation. The model uses measurements of the first-order reversal curves and the average rate of change of the input-voltage signal. The model is shown ... View full abstract»

Recent research has shown that robust and precise high-speed control of pneumatic actuators is practicable, by application of advanced control techniques such as model-based adaptive and sliding-mode control. However, the resulting need for full state-based feedback and feedforward control-in particular, the measurement of air pressures-increases both the cost and complexity of the overall system.... View full abstract»

This paper presents a structural design method of robust motion controllers for high-accuracy positioning systems, which makes it possible to tune the performance of the whole closed-loop system systematically. First, a stabilizing control input is designed based on Lyapunov redesign for the system in the presence of uncertainty and disturbance. And adopting the internal model following control, r... View full abstract»

Decoupling is always a difficult problem in the field of virtual-axis numerical control (NC) machine servocontrol. In this paper, the idea of local structurization method is combined with the theory of decoupling. A new decoupling method, local structurization decoupling method, is proposed first. Jacobian matrix is decomposed into two matrices-translation matrix and rotation matrix. So decoupling... View full abstract»

This paper describes the principle, design, control and performance of a novel miniature linear peristaltic pump. Exhibiting dual and bi-directional feed capabilities that allow the simultaneous pumping of two distinct fluids at measured and precise flow rate, the pump consists of two resilient tubes and two directly actuated pumping units. Both of the two flexible tubes are placed in the pumping ... View full abstract»