Abstract
Modularity and self-healing are two interesting properties that could help to design more flexible conveyors of micro-objects. In the Smart Blocks project, we propose to design a 2D modular and self-reconfigurable robot composed of centimeter-scale sliding blocks that embed their own actuators and control electronics. This article presents a proof-of-concept of the linkage and of the traveling system as well as an algorithm able to reconfigure a set of blocks from a spatial configuration to another one. Prototype blocks have been realized using electro-permanent magnets which show a good motion speed while saving power consumption during the linkage. Our reconfiguration algorithm is implemented in a simulator software showing in real-time the reconfiguration of the robot.
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Bibtex
@article{plbc+13:ij,
inhal = {no},
domainehal = {INFO:INFO_MC, INFO:INFO_NI, INFO:INFO_MO},
equipe = {omni},
classement = {ACLI},
impact-factor ={1.300},
isi-acro = {MECHATRONICS},
author = {Piranda, Benoit and Laurent, Guillaume J. and Bourgeois, Julien and Cl\'evy, C\'edric and Le Fort-Piat, Nadine},
title = {A New Concept of Planar Self-Reconfigurable Modular Robot for Conveying Microparts},
journal = {Mechatronics},
volume = 23,
number = 7,
pages = {906--915},
doi = {10.1016/j.mechatronics.2013.08.009},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mechatronics.2013.08.009},
publisher = {Elsevier},
month = oct,
year = 2013,
publiweb = {yes},
}