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Optimal Distribution of Active Modules in Reconfiguration Planning of Modular Robots
Journal article

Optimal Distribution of Active Modules in Reconfiguration Planning of Modular Robots

  • Yao, Meibao Deep Space Exploration Research Center, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China e-mail:
  • Xiao, Xueming School of Opto-Electronic Engineering, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun 130022, China e-mail:
  • Belke, Christoph H. Reconfigurable Robotics Lab, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland e-mail:
  • Cui, Hutao Deep Space Exploration Research Center, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China e-mail:
  • Paik, Jamie Reconfigurable Robotics Lab, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland e-mail:
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  • 2018-12-17
Published in:
  • Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics. - ASME International. - 2018, vol. 11, no. 1
Mechanical Engineering
English Reconfigurability in versatile systems of modular robots is achieved by appropriately actuating individual modular units. Optimizing the distribution of active and passive modules in modular architecture can significantly reduce both cost and energy of a reconfiguration task. This paper presents a methodology for planning this distribution in modular robots, resulting in a minimum number of active modules that guarantees the capability to reconfigure. We discuss the optimal distribution problem in layout-based and target-based planning schemes such that modular robots can instantly respond to reconfiguration commands with either an initial planar layout or a target configuration as input. We propose heuristic algorithms as solutions for the different scenarios, which we demonstrate by applying them to Mori, a modular origami robot, in simulation. The results show that our algorithms yield high-quality distribution schemes in reduced time, and are thus viable for real-time applications in modular robotic systems.
Language
  • English
Open access status
closed
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Persistent URL
https://sonar.rero.ch/global/documents/215024
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