A reconfiguration approach for self-reconfigurable modular robot using assisted modules

This paper presents a new reconfiguration method for the mobile modular self-reconfigurable robot (M
²
SBot) using assisted modules, by which a robot can autonomously reconfigure from an arbitrary spatial configuration into another. The whole reconfiguration process can be accomplished in space directly rather than on ground. The significant features of this method include: (1) a Spatial Linking Matching Matrix (SLMM) representing the spatial complex topological configurations of the multi-module robot; (2) a contrast of the corresponding logic addresses of the modules between the two matrixes detecting the common/different substructures; (3) a new Disconnect-before-Connect method in reconfiguration strategy; (4) the use of auxiliary modules introduced in the reconfiguration process. The simulation results confirm that the method is applicable to the self-reconfigurable robot effectively.