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Modlab The Modular Robotics Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania
Research
Hybrid Exploration Robot for Air and Land Deployment (H.E.R.A.L.D)
A team of five mechanical engineering seniors, in collaboration with the Modular Robotics Laboratory and under the guidance of Dr. Mark Yim, have designed a search and rescue research platform intended to address limitations of current search and rescue robots and introduce a novel form factor and integration technique into the field. The system of [...]
Categories: Flying Devices, Search and Rescue
Tactically Expandable Maritime Platform (T.E.M.P.)
We have built a system of shipping container sized robotic boats that can hook onto each other. We demonstrate the conceptual design of a system that is capable of constructing bridges and various shaped islands that can be made compliant to waves. Introduction Our Tactically Expandable Maritime Platform (TEMP) is a 1:12 scale of the system [...]
X-Face
Docking and undocking are common activities for robots (modular robots in particular). The relative frequency of this operation behooves us to ensure reliable alignment under uncertain conditions. We present a new face geometry that is numerically superior to existing alignment geometries. This geometry is intended for two-dimensional reconfigurable robots. Connector Shapes Traditionally, there are two [...]
Categories: CKbot, Connector Design, Programmable Matter
ModLock
Connection mechanisms are critical to modular reconfigurable systems. The ModLock manual connection system is both fast to attach/detach and strong. This low cost, low profile connection system has been demonstrated on a variety of robot configurations including legged walkers, flying quadrotors and wheeled robots. Introduction One of the key features of a modular reconfigurable robot is [...]
Categories: CKbot, Flying Devices, Quick Change, Willow Garage
SMORES
The design of this system called SMORES (Self-assembling MOdular Robot for Extreme Shapeshifting) is capable of rearranging its modules in all three classes of reconfiguration; lattice style, chain style and mobile reconfiguration. Modules are independently mobile and are capable of self-assembly from a collection of disconnected modules. Introduction Self-assembling and self-reconfiguring modular robot systems may one day be capable of [...]
ICRA Robotic Planetary Contingency 2008
ICRA Robotic Planetary Contingency 2008 featured four teams competing in multiple, time sensitive, emergency scenarios with modular robotic solutions Part I – Carbon Dioxide Scrubber Filter Damage Scenario: Your lunar space station has passed through a micro-meteor storm that has damaged your external CO2 scrubber system. The endcap on the CO2 venting tube running between [...]
Categories: ICRA Robotic Planetary Contingency
Structure synthesis on-the-fly
Hard foam can be used to synthesise a body on-the-fly, allowing us to spray a body for this quadruped. Each of the limbs comprises three CKBot modules, in a configuration similar to that used in the self-assembly after explosion project. Overview Normally, when robots are designed there is a specific task in mind. Once that [...]
Categories: CKbot
Search and Rescue
Can small man-portable robots aid the transport of incapacitated victims? This work received the Best Paper Award at the 2009 IEEE International Workshop on Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics. The majority of robot research for rescue situations has been in the area of search and localization of victims, or information gathering for the coordination [...]
Categories: CKbot, Search and Rescue
XBot
The XBot system is a lattice style modular self-reconfigurable robot that uses external actuation to deterministically reconfigure XBot modules. Using the principle of external actuation facilitates module miniaturization as modules do not require motors or servos to reconfigure. Overview: A significant goal of Modular Self-Reconfigurable (MSR) robotics is realizing systems with a large number of [...]
Categories: Programmable Matter
RATChET
Modules in the Right Angle Tetrahedron Chain Externally Actuated Testbed (RATChET) system can be programmed to form arbitrary shapes. Using an external manipulator to fold the chain under the force of gravity simplifies the module design since they do not require a motor at each joint. Overview: Consider a system consisting of many small programmable [...]
Categories: Programmable Matter
Module Brake
We have designed a joint-locking mechanism for a new chain-style modular reconfigurable robot. This mechanism will enable the robot to perform a wide array of tasks such as dynamic motion and bio-inspired locomotion while consuming less power. Overview There are two competing factors towards maximizing capability, that is specific torque (the ability for modules to [...]
Categories: Brake Module
Factory Floor
The factory floor is an experimental robotic system for the construction of passive robotically-reconfigurable truss structures. The macroscopic goal of this work is to embed autonomous reconfigurability into human-built systems. Passive robotically-reconfigurable truss structures offer considerable utility as they can quickly adjust to changing functional requirements and resources at a level of sophistication that no [...]
Categories: EFRI
CKbot
The CKbot (Connector Kinetic roBot) is a chain style modular robot. It is designed to be fast and inexpensive while small enough to fit inside a 3 inch tube. It is manually reconfigurable into any shape while also allowing attachments such as wheels, grippers, IR proximity sensors and camera modules. Due to size constraints most [...]
Categories: CKbot
Self re-Assembly after Explosion
A car bumper is designed to crumple upon impact and protect the driver. A ski boot will detach from the ski to prevent injury to the ankle. Likewise a CKbot assembly falls apart when it is kicked, however CKbot can put itself back together again. One of the grand challenges of modular self-reconfigurable robots is [...]
Dynamic Locomotion of CKBot
CKBot is designed to be fast allowing it to achieve dynamic locomotion. Given that CKBot is reconfigurable gives us the unique ability to research different types of dynamic locomotions in different morphologies all with the same hardware. Locomotion is one of the most basic functions of mobile robots. Robotics researchers have demonstrated a wide variety [...]
Quick Change End Effector
This prototype allows PR2 to change end-effectors on his own. He could trade in his hand for a different gripper, a screwdriver, or even a sensor such as a camera. The quick release mechanism makes it easy for him to attach and detach and it also features electrical connections to transfer power and communication. PR2 [...]
Categories: Quick Change, Willow Garage
Distributed Communication Fault Tolerance
An advantageous feature of modular robots is the applicability to system fault tolerance. With redundant units and parallel processing facilities, modular robots have the capability or potential to account for certain types of failures within its system. This research presents work on communication fault tolerance with CKBot. This approach exploits the parallel processors of CKBot [...]
Categories: CKbot, Distributed IR Fault Tolerance
Configuration Recognition
The advantage of reconfiguration is central to modular robotic systems. With this benefit, however, comes a complex and interesting challenge: how does a modular robot recognize which shapes are useful or familiar? The ability for a modular robot to determine which configurations are needed for various tasks is a fundamental requirement for increased autonomy. For [...]
Categories: CKbot, Configuration Recognition
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University of Pennsylvania | Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics
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