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Programming Matter with Modular Robots: Two Directions

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Robotics Research

Part of the book series: Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics ((STAR,volume 66))

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Abstract

In this paper we examine some of the current trends in building robots capable of self-assembly, self-reconfiguration, and self-organization, and we describe two new approaches to creating programmable matter. We explain the notion of building robot shapes by self-dissasembly, the process of “sculpting” a desired shape from a connected block of robotic modules by removing units, and discuss lessons learned with a robot system capable of self-disassembly. We also describe the notion of incorporating passive components such as rigid bars in the body of a modular robot and lessons learned from the development of a first system prototype.

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Rus, D. (2010). Programming Matter with Modular Robots: Two Directions. In: Kaneko, M., Nakamura, Y. (eds) Robotics Research. Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics, vol 66. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-14743-2_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-14743-2_16

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-14742-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-14743-2

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

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