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Concept

Programmable matter

Related publications (10)

Development and control of interactive reconfigurable robotic systems

Jian-Lin Huang

While reconfigurable robots provide a new promising approach for interactive systems, the complexity of distributed actuation/sensing systems, coupled kinematics and desired functionalities also bring new challenges and questions both in control design and ...

EPFL2021

Development of soft microscopic implants and acoustically-powered machines for biomedical applications

Murat Kaynak

The development of miniaturized machines that can actively cross barriers, navigate through heterogeneous materials and access remote sites can revolutionize environmental inspection and targeted therapy. Seminal work demonstrated the feasibility of follow ...

EPFL2021

Kubits: Solid-State Self-Reconfiguration With Programmable Magnets

Auke Ijspeert, Mehmet Hasan Mutlu, Simon Lukas Hauser

Even though many prototypes of 3D self-reconfiguring modular robots (SRMRs) have been developed in recent years, a demonstration involving 1'000 modules remains a challenge. This is largely due to complex mechanics needed to achieve connection, disconnecti ...

IEEE-INST ELECTRICAL ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS INC2020

From Modular Origami Robots to Polygon-based Modular Systems: a New Paradigm in Reconfigurable Robotics

Christoph Heinrich Belke

A useful robot is one that fulfils its intended function. In a factory setting, where robots have been used successfully for decades, this function is often singular and clearly defined. Similarly, the surroundings of the robot are mostly known, sterile, a ...

EPFL2020

Bio-inspired Tensegrity Soft Modular Robots

Dario Floreano, Stefano Mintchev, Jun Shintake, Davide Zappetti

In this paper, we introduce a design principle to develop novel soft modular robots based on tensegrity structures and inspired by the cytoskeleton of living cells. We describe a novel strategy to realize tensegrity structures using planar manufacturing te ...

Springer2017

Natural User Interface for Roombots

Auke Ijspeert, Ayberk Özgür, Massimo Vespignani, Rico Möckel, Stéphane Bonardi

Roombots (RB) are self-reconfigurable modular robots designed to study robotic reconfiguration on a structured grid and adaptive locomotion off grid. One of the main goals of this platform is to create adaptive furniture inside living spaces such as homes ...

IEEE2014

Roombots: Design and Implementation of a Modular Robot for Reconfiguration and Locomotion

Alexander Spröwitz

In this thesis we present the design and implementation of a novel self-reconfiguring modular (SR-MR) robotic system: Roombots. We are aiming at three main applications with Roombots; locomotion through self-reconfiguration in the regular cubic 3D-lattice ...

EPFL2010

Roombots-Mechanical Design of Self-Reconfiguring Modular Robots for Adaptive Furniture

Pierre Dillenbourg, Auke Ijspeert, Aude Billard, Alexander Spröwitz

We aim at merging technologies from information technology, roomware, and robotics in order to design adaptive and intelligent furniture. This paper presents design principles for our modular robots, called Roombots, as future building blocks for furniture ...

2009

An active connection mechanism for modular self-reconfigurable robotic systems based on physical latching

Auke Ijspeert, Masoud Asadpour, Alexander Spröwitz

This article presents a robust and heavy duty physical latching connection mechanism, which can be actuated with DC motors to actively connect and disconnect modular robot units. The special requirements include a lightweight and simple construction provid ...

2008

Autonomous Self-assembly in Swarm-Bots

Francesco Mondada, Michael Bonani

In this paper, we discuss the self-assembling capabilities of the swarm-bot, a distributed robotics concept that lies at the intersection between collective and self-reconfigurable robotics. A swarm-bot comprises autonomous mobile robots called s-bots. S-b ...

2006