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ABSTRACT: A method for behavior planning is presented for a modular robot that applies a randomized planner to coherent structure of the robot. To cope with difficulty in planning of many degrees of freedom (DOFs) of a modular robot, coherent structure is introduced in terms of control system and robot configuration. As the control system, a simple phase synchronization mechanism is introduced that can control the robot with many DOFs with reduced number of parameters. Together with symmetrical configuration, this control system generates various dynamic motions. In order to plan the behaviors of the modular robot determined by the parameters of the control system, we adopt a randomized planner called rapidly exploring random trees (RRTs). This can benefit from a number of advantages of RRT planner, including simple implementation, uniform search, and applicability to a dynamic system with differential constraints. By exploring parameter space of the coherent control system, behaviors including dynamic motions can be planned. We have applied the proposed planner to M-TRAN modular robot to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method through preliminary simulation results.
Intelligent Robots and Systems, 2004. (IROS 2004). Proceedings. 2004 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on; 11/2004
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ABSTRACT: We have been developing a self-reconfigurable modular robotic system (M-TRAN) which can make various 3-D configurations and motions. In the second prototype (M-TRAN II), various improvements are integrated in order to realize complicated reconfigurations and versatile whole body motions. Those are a reliable connection/detachment mechanism, on-board multi-computers, high speed inter-module communication system, low power consumption, precise motor control, etc. Programing environments are also integrated to design self-reconfiguration processes, to verify motions in dynamics simulation, and to realize distributed control on the hardware. Hardware design, developed software and experiments are presented in this paper.
Intelligent Robots and Systems, 2003. (IROS 2003). Proceedings. 2003 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on; 11/2003
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ABSTRACT: In this paper we present the development of hardware and software of self-reconfigurable modular robots in National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Japan. Thanks to their flexibility, versatility and fault-tolerance, self-reconfigurable modular robots are expected to be used in various application fields, such as space, rescue or micro-sized world. Our research group has been pioneering this new field and developed several hardware prototypes and corresponding software that exploit the robots' potential. We have been successfully demonstrated the feasibility of the self-reconfigurable modular robots based on experiments from different aspects. Starting from two-dimensional (2D) self-assembling and self-repairing machine fractum, we review hardware development in diverse directions, like to micro-world, three-dimensional (3D) structures and motions; as well as the progress of control software, including distributed control and recent evolutionary motion inquisition.
Robotics, Intelligent Systems and Signal Processing, 2003. Proceedings. 2003 IEEE International Conference on; 11/2003
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ABSTRACT: Locomotion, one of the most basic robotic functions, has been widely studied for several types of robots. As for self-reconfigurable modular robots, there are two types of locomotion; one type is realized as a series of self-reconfiguration and the other is realized as a whole body motion such as walking and crawling. Even for the latter type of locomotion, designing control method is more difficult than ordinary robots. This is because the module configuration includes many degrees of freedom and there are a wide variety of possible configurations. We propose an offline method to generate a locomotion pattern automatically for a modular robot in an arbitrary module configuration, which utilizes a neural oscillator as a controller of the joint motor and evolutionary computation method for optimization of the neural oscillator network, which determines the performance of locomotion. We confirm the validity of the method by software simulation and hardware experiments.
Robotics and Automation, 2003. Proceedings. ICRA '03. IEEE International Conference on; 10/2003
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ABSTRACT: In this paper we present a couple of evolutionary motion generation methods using genetic algorithms (GA) for self-reconfigurable modular robot M-TRAN and demonstrate their effectiveness through hardware experiments. Using these methods, feasible solutions with sufficient performance can be derived for a motion generation problem with high complexity coming from huge configuration and motion possibilities of the robot. The first method called ERSS (Evolutionary Reconfiguration Sequence Synthesis) applies GA (Genetic Algorithm) to evolution of motion sequence including configuration changes though natural genetic representation. The effectiveness of the generated full-body dynamic motions are verified through hardware experiments. The second method called ALPG (Automatic Locomotion Pattern Generation) Method seeks locomotion pattern using a neural oscillator as a CPG (Central Pattern Generator) model and GA to optimize the parameters for locomotion. A number of efficient locomotion patterns has been derived, which are also experimentally verified.
Computational Intelligence in Robotics and Automation, 2003. Proceedings. 2003 IEEE International Symposium on; 08/2003
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ABSTRACT: We have developed a modular robotic system (M-TRAN), which can change its configuration by itself. By using many DOFs of mechanism and self-reconfiguration capability, it can realize several types of motion, and can make various configurations. We have made two models of the system (M-TRAN I & II). In M-TRAN II, various improvements are integrated such as onboard multi-computers, reliable inter-module communication system, low power consumption, precise motor control, etc. Its hardware design, basic experiments and examples of motion are presented in this paper.
Control, Automation, Robotics and Vision, 2002. ICARCV 2002. 7th International Conference on; 01/2003
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ABSTRACT: Self-reconfigurable robotic systems composed of multiple modules have been investigated intensively with respect to their versatility, flexibility, and fault-tolerance. Although some microscale self-assembly systems have been reported, they are passively assembled to predetermined shape by surface tension in an irreversible manner and cannot form arbitrary shapes. To develop a modular microrobot that can actively reconfigure itself, we adopt an actuating mechanism driven by a shape memory alloy (SMA). One of the advantages of an SMA actuator is that it keeps a higher power-weight ratio on microscales than electromagnetic motors.
IEEE Robotics & amp amp Automation Magazine 01/2003; · 1.99 Impact Factor
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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 intermodule connection mechanisms. The special design of M-TRAN module realizes both reliable and quick self-reconfiguration and versatile robotic motion. For instance, M-TRAN is able to metamorphose into robotic configurations such as a legged machine and hereby generate coordinated walking motion without any human intervention. An actual system with ten modules was built and basic operations of self-reconfiguration and motion generation were examined through experiments. A series of software programs has also been developed to drive M-TRAN hardware, including a simulator of M-TRAN kinematics, a user interface to design appropriate configurations and motion sequences for given tasks, and an automatic motion planner for a regular cluster of M-TRAN modules. These software programs are integrated into the M-TRAN system supervised by a host computer. Several demonstrations have proven its capability as a self-reconfigurable robot.
IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics 01/2003; · 2.87 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Addresses motion planning of a homogeneous modular robotic system.
The modules have self-reconfiguration capability so that a group of the
modules can construct various robotic structures. Motion planning for
self-reconfiguration is a kind of computationally difficult problem
because of many combinatorial possibilities of modular configuration
against the restricted degrees of freedom of the module; only two
rotation axes per module. We show a motion planning method for a class
of a multi-module structure, based on global planning and local motion
scheme selection that is effective for solving the complicated planning
problem. The fundamental motion is also demonstrated through hardware
experiments
Assembly and Task Planning, 2001, Proceedings of the IEEE International Symposium on; 02/2001
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ABSTRACT: This paper addresses motion planning of a homogeneous modular
robotic system. The modules have self-reconfiguration capability so that
a group of the modules can construct a robotic structure. Motion
planning for self-reconfiguration is a kind of computationally difficult
problem because of many combinatorial possibilities of modular
configuration and the restricted degrees of freedom of the module; only
two rotation axes per module. We will show a motion planning method for
a class of multimodule structures. It is based on global planning and
local motion scheme selection that is effective to solve the complicated
planning problem
Intelligent Robots and Systems, 2001. Proceedings. 2001 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on; 02/2001
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ABSTRACT: We have proposed a self-reconfigurable robotic module, which has a
very simple structure. The system is capable of not only building a
static structure, but also generating a dynamic robotic motion. We have
also developed a simulator for the motion planning. In this paper, we
present details of the mechanical and electrical designs of the
developed module and its control system architecture. Experiments using
ten modules demonstrate the robotic configuration change, crawling
locomotion and three types of quadruped locomotion
Intelligent Robots and Systems, 2001. Proceedings. 2001 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on; 02/2001
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ABSTRACT: In this paper we describe the hardware design of a novel
self-reconfigurable robotic system. We have classified previous studies
on self-reconfigurable robotic systems into “lattice type”
composed of spatially symmetric modules and “string type”
like snake robots. The proposed system has both the advantages of simple
operation of self-reconfiguration of the former and motion generation
ability of the latter. Its simple structure and reliable operation
allows us to construct large 3D self-reconfigurable structure which
functions as a robotic system such as a legged walking machine. We have
examined its basic mechanical functions and verified its reliable
operation of self-reconfiguration
Intelligent Robots and Systems, 2000. (IROS 2000). Proceedings. 2000 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on; 02/2000
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ABSTRACT: We present a novel modular robotic system that has the capability
of both reconfiguration and robotic motion. A simulator has been
developed to graphically design the system configuration, the
reconfiguration process and motion of a cluster of the modules. Examples
of the processes programmed by a human operator and generated
automatically are presented
Industrial Electronics Society, 2000. IECON 2000. 26th Annual Confjerence of the IEEE; 02/2000
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ABSTRACT: We propose a self-assembly and self-repair method for a
homogeneous distributed mechanical system. We focus on a category of
distributed systems composed of numbers of identical units which can
dynamically change connections among themselves. Each unit has an
onboard microprocessor, and local communication between neighboring
units is possible. We discuss a distributed method for a group of such
units to metamorphose from an arbitrary configuration into a desired
configuration through cooperation by the units. This process, called
self-assembly, is realized by identical software on each unit with local
inter-unit communication. An extension of self-assembly, self-repair, is
also examined. In this process, an occasional cut-off of an arbitrary
part of the system is assumed. When some part of the system detects
damage, the whole system degenerates and reconstructs itself. Computer
simulations show the feasibility of self-assembly and self-repair
IEEE Transactions on Robotics and Automation 01/2000;
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ABSTRACT: Presents a miniaturized self-reconfigurable modular robotics
system using shape memory alloy (SMA). The system is designed so that
various shapes can be actively formed by a group of identical mechanical
units. The unit realizes rotational motion by using an actuator
mechanism composed of two SMA torsion coil springs which generate
sufficient motion range and torque for reconfiguration. The fundamental
functions of the system are tested by experiments. Applicability of the
developed unit model to a 3-D self-reconfigurable system is also
discussed
Intelligent Robots and Systems, 1999. IROS '99. Proceedings. 1999 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on; 02/1999
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ABSTRACT: A distributed reconfiguration method is proposed for a 3D
reconfigurable machine, composed of many identical mechanical units. The
method aims to enable the machine to transform itself into desired
structure from an arbitrary initial configuration. The proposed method
is implemented in such a way that each unit has identical software, so
that any unit can play any role in the system. It is also featured by a
stochastic relaxation process, which allows the system to converge to a
given target structure by searching for a proper unit motion over many
degrees of freedom. Furthermore, the method is extended for the
structure to reconfigure itself dynamically according to the
environment. The effectiveness of the method is confirmed by computer
simulations
Intelligent Robots and Systems, 1998. Proceedings., 1998 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on; 11/1998
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ABSTRACT: A three-dimensional self-reconfigurable structure made of
identical units is proposed. Each unit has six arms on the surface of
its base cube which can connect to neighboring units mechanically. By
the connection, cubic lattice structure is formed. A unit can carry its
neighbor unit from one node of the lattice to another by rotating its
arm by 90 degrees. Repeating this movement, the structure can
reconfigure itself to realize various 3D structures. General process of
reconfiguration were proposed for this system. Four units were made and
basic motions of self-reconfiguration were verified
Intelligent Robots and Systems, 1998. Proceedings., 1998 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on; 11/1998
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ABSTRACT: A three-dimensional, self-reconfigurable structure is proposed.
The structure is a fully distributed system composed of many identical
3-D units. Each unit has functions of changing local connection,
information processing, and communication among neighborhood units.
Groups of units cooperate to change their connection so that the shape
of the whole solid structure transforms into an arbitrary shape. Also,
the structure can repair itself by rejecting faulty units, replacing
them with spare units. This kind of self-maintainability is essential to
structure's longevity in hazardous or remote environments such as space
or deep sea where human operators cannot approach. We have designed and
built a prototype unit to examine the feasibility of the 3-D
self-reconfigurable concept. The design of the unit, method of
reconfiguration, hardware implementation, and results of preliminary
experiments are shown. In the last part of the paper, distributed
software for self-reconfiguration is discussed
Robotics and Automation, 1998. Proceedings. 1998 IEEE International Conference on; 06/1998
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ABSTRACT: A distributed formation control method is proposed for a modular
mechanical system. We have developed a totally decentralized system
composed of many homogeneous mechanical units which are designed to
change their connective configuration using only local information. The
control method proposed in this paper enables the systems to re-organize
themselves so that various configurations can be formed in a robust way.
Computer simulations and experiments are carried out to show its
effectiveness
Intelligent Robots and Systems, 1997. IROS '97., Proceedings of the 1997 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on; 10/1997
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Robotics and Automation, 1995. Proceedings., 1995 IEEE International Conference on; 06/1995
