Reconfigurable modular robots feature high mobility due to their unconstrained connection manners.Inspired by the snake multi-joint crawling principle,a chain-type reconfigurable modular robot(CRMR)is designed,which c...Reconfigurable modular robots feature high mobility due to their unconstrained connection manners.Inspired by the snake multi-joint crawling principle,a chain-type reconfigurable modular robot(CRMR)is designed,which could reassemble into various configurations through the compound joint motion.Moreover,an illumination adaptive modular robot identification(IAMRI)algorithm is proposed for CRMR.At first,an adaptive threshold is applied to detect oriented FAST features in the robot image.Then,the effective detection of features in non-uniform illumination areas is achieved through an optimized quadtree decomposition method.After matching features,an improved random sample consensus algorithm is employed to eliminate the mismatched features.Finally,the reconfigurable robot module is identified effectively through the perspective transformation.Compared with ORB,MA,Y-ORB,and S-ORB algorithms,the IAMRI algorithm has an improvement of over 11.6%in feature uniformity,and 13.7%in the comprehensive indicator,respectively.The IAMRI algorithm limits the relative error within 2.5 pixels,efficiently completing the CRMR identification under complex environmental changes.展开更多
The reconfigurable modular robot has an enormous amount of configurations to adapt to various environments and tasks. It greatly increases the complexity of configuration research in that the possible configuration nu...The reconfigurable modular robot has an enormous amount of configurations to adapt to various environments and tasks. It greatly increases the complexity of configuration research in that the possible configuration number of the reconfigurable modular robot grows exponentially with the increase of module number. Being the initial configuration or the basic configuration of the reconfigurable robot, the center-configuration plays a crucial role in system＇s actual applications. In this paper, a novel center-configuration selection technique has been proposed for re- configurable modular robots. Based on the similarities between configurations＇ transformation and graph theory, configuration network has been applied in the modeling and analyzing of these configurations. Configuration adjacency matrix, reconfirmation cost matrix, and center-configuration coefficient have been defined for the configuration network correspondingly. Being similar to the center-location problem, the center configuration has been selected according to the largest center-configuraUon coefficient. As an example of the reconfigurable robotic system, AMOEBA-I, a three-module reconfigurable robot with nine configurations which was developed in Shenyang Institute of Automation （SIA）, Chinese Academy of Sciences （CAS）, has been introduced briefly. According to the numerical simulation result, the center-configuration coefficients for these nine configurations have been calculated and compared to validate this technique. Lastly, a center-configuration selection example is provided with consideration of the adjacent configurations. The center-configuration selection technique proposed in this paper is also available to other reconfigurable modular robots.展开更多
Normal alkane is an unbranched alkane whose structural formula is H–CH2–CH2–…–CH2–…–CH2–H,which can be regarded as a reconfigurable chain-type structure composed of–CH2–modules.Inspired by normal alkane,a n...Normal alkane is an unbranched alkane whose structural formula is H–CH2–CH2–…–CH2–…–CH2–H,which can be regarded as a reconfigurable chain-type structure composed of–CH2–modules.Inspired by normal alkane,a normal-alkane-like reconfigurable modular robot (NAR) is proposed.The module consists of two differential gear trains mounted orthogonally.Each differential gear train contains two input degrees of freedom and two output degrees of freedom.Due to the genderless interface design,multiple modules can be assembled into chain-type configuration.With the genderless interfaces and flexible degrees of freedom,NAR can be reconfigured into different dimensions of spatial configuration.The bond matrix is used to describe the configuration,which represents the bond attitude of the adjacent connected modules.In addition,full interconnected geometric feature (FIGF) algorithm is proposed for non-isomorphic configuration enumeration and judgment.The configurations with three modules are simulated and the results verify the feasibility of the algorithm.Finally,a prototype with three modules is fabricated and the configuration motion sequence is demonstrated.展开更多
This paper presents a network-based analysis approach for the reconfiguration problem of a self-reconfigurable robot. The self-reconfigurable modular robot named ＂AMOEBA-I＂ has nine kinds of non-isomorphic configura...This paper presents a network-based analysis approach for the reconfiguration problem of a self-reconfigurable robot. The self-reconfigurable modular robot named ＂AMOEBA-I＂ has nine kinds of non-isomorphic configurations that consist of a configuration network. Each configuration of the robot is defined to be a node in the weighted and directed configuration network. The transformation from one configuration to another is represented by a directed path with nonnegative weight. Graph theory is applied in the reconfiguration analysis, where reconfiguration route, reconfigurable matrix and route matrix are defined according to the topological information of these configurations. Algorithms in graph theory have been used in enumerating the available reconfiguration routes and deciding the best reconfiguration route. Numerical analysis and experimental simulation results prove the validity of the approach proposed in this paper. And it is potentially suitable for other self-reconfigurable robots＇ configuration control and reconfiguration planning.展开更多
Aromatic hydrocarbons generally refer to compounds containing benzene rings.Many types of isomers can be formed by replacing hydrogen atoms on the benzene ring.In this paper,an aromatic-hydrocarbon-inspired modular ro...Aromatic hydrocarbons generally refer to compounds containing benzene rings.Many types of isomers can be formed by replacing hydrogen atoms on the benzene ring.In this paper,an aromatic-hydrocarbon-inspired modular robot(AHIMR)is proposed.The robot can be reassembled into different configurations suitable for various task requirements.A vision-based docking system is designed for the AHIMR.The system primarily consists of two stages:a remote guidance stage and a precise docking stage.During the remote guidance stage,an object module is identified using an illumination adaptive target recognition algorithm,and then the active module moves to the docking area through communication with ZigBee.In the precise docking stage,the active module calculates the relative pose with the object module using a perspective-n-point method and dynamically adjusts its posture to dock.In this process,a Kalman filter is used to reduce target occlusion and jitter interference.In addition,the docking system feasibility is verified via several simulation experiments.The module docking accuracy is controlled within 0.01 m,which meets the reconfiguration task requirements of the AHIMR.In the AHIMR submodule docking experiment,the active module accurately moves to the expected position with a docking success rate of 95%.展开更多
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2018YFB1304600)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.62003337)+1 种基金the Open Fund for State Key Laboratory of Robotics(Grant No.2023O03)the Liaoning Province Joint Open Fund for Key Scientific and Technological Innovation Bases(Grant No.2021-KF-12-05).
文摘Reconfigurable modular robots feature high mobility due to their unconstrained connection manners.Inspired by the snake multi-joint crawling principle,a chain-type reconfigurable modular robot(CRMR)is designed,which could reassemble into various configurations through the compound joint motion.Moreover,an illumination adaptive modular robot identification(IAMRI)algorithm is proposed for CRMR.At first,an adaptive threshold is applied to detect oriented FAST features in the robot image.Then,the effective detection of features in non-uniform illumination areas is achieved through an optimized quadtree decomposition method.After matching features,an improved random sample consensus algorithm is employed to eliminate the mismatched features.Finally,the reconfigurable robot module is identified effectively through the perspective transformation.Compared with ORB,MA,Y-ORB,and S-ORB algorithms,the IAMRI algorithm has an improvement of over 11.6%in feature uniformity,and 13.7%in the comprehensive indicator,respectively.The IAMRI algorithm limits the relative error within 2.5 pixels,efficiently completing the CRMR identification under complex environmental changes.
基金Supported in part by the National High-Technology 863 Program (Grant No. 2001AA422360)the Chinese Academy of Sciences Advanced Manufacturing Technology R&D Base Fund (Grant Nos. A050104 and F050108)the GUCAS-BHP Billiton Scholarship
文摘The reconfigurable modular robot has an enormous amount of configurations to adapt to various environments and tasks. It greatly increases the complexity of configuration research in that the possible configuration number of the reconfigurable modular robot grows exponentially with the increase of module number. Being the initial configuration or the basic configuration of the reconfigurable robot, the center-configuration plays a crucial role in system＇s actual applications. In this paper, a novel center-configuration selection technique has been proposed for re- configurable modular robots. Based on the similarities between configurations＇ transformation and graph theory, configuration network has been applied in the modeling and analyzing of these configurations. Configuration adjacency matrix, reconfirmation cost matrix, and center-configuration coefficient have been defined for the configuration network correspondingly. Being similar to the center-location problem, the center configuration has been selected according to the largest center-configuraUon coefficient. As an example of the reconfigurable robotic system, AMOEBA-I, a three-module reconfigurable robot with nine configurations which was developed in Shenyang Institute of Automation （SIA）, Chinese Academy of Sciences （CAS）, has been introduced briefly. According to the numerical simulation result, the center-configuration coefficients for these nine configurations have been calculated and compared to validate this technique. Lastly, a center-configuration selection example is provided with consideration of the adjacent configurations. The center-configuration selection technique proposed in this paper is also available to other reconfigurable modular robots.
基金the National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2018YFB1304600)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51775541)+2 种基金CAS Interdisciplinary Innovation Team(Grant No.JCTD-2018-11)the State Key Laboratory of Robotics Foundation(Grant No.Y91Z0303)the Liaoning Provincial Natural Science Foundation(Grant No.2020-MS-033)。
文摘Normal alkane is an unbranched alkane whose structural formula is H–CH2–CH2–…–CH2–…–CH2–H,which can be regarded as a reconfigurable chain-type structure composed of–CH2–modules.Inspired by normal alkane,a normal-alkane-like reconfigurable modular robot (NAR) is proposed.The module consists of two differential gear trains mounted orthogonally.Each differential gear train contains two input degrees of freedom and two output degrees of freedom.Due to the genderless interface design,multiple modules can be assembled into chain-type configuration.With the genderless interfaces and flexible degrees of freedom,NAR can be reconfigured into different dimensions of spatial configuration.The bond matrix is used to describe the configuration,which represents the bond attitude of the adjacent connected modules.In addition,full interconnected geometric feature (FIGF) algorithm is proposed for non-isomorphic configuration enumeration and judgment.The configurations with three modules are simulated and the results verify the feasibility of the algorithm.Finally,a prototype with three modules is fabricated and the configuration motion sequence is demonstrated.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.60705029)the National High-Technology (863 Program) (Grant No.2007AA041502-5)+1 种基金Advanced Manufacturing Technology R&D Base Foundation of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No.07F1240101)the CAS President’s Award Winner Foundation
文摘This paper presents a network-based analysis approach for the reconfiguration problem of a self-reconfigurable robot. The self-reconfigurable modular robot named ＂AMOEBA-I＂ has nine kinds of non-isomorphic configurations that consist of a configuration network. Each configuration of the robot is defined to be a node in the weighted and directed configuration network. The transformation from one configuration to another is represented by a directed path with nonnegative weight. Graph theory is applied in the reconfiguration analysis, where reconfiguration route, reconfigurable matrix and route matrix are defined according to the topological information of these configurations. Algorithms in graph theory have been used in enumerating the available reconfiguration routes and deciding the best reconfiguration route. Numerical analysis and experimental simulation results prove the validity of the approach proposed in this paper. And it is potentially suitable for other self-reconfigurable robots＇ configuration control and reconfiguration planning.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2018YFB1304600)the CAS Interdisciplinary Innovation Team(Grant No.JCTD-2018-11)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51775541)。
文摘Aromatic hydrocarbons generally refer to compounds containing benzene rings.Many types of isomers can be formed by replacing hydrogen atoms on the benzene ring.In this paper,an aromatic-hydrocarbon-inspired modular robot(AHIMR)is proposed.The robot can be reassembled into different configurations suitable for various task requirements.A vision-based docking system is designed for the AHIMR.The system primarily consists of two stages:a remote guidance stage and a precise docking stage.During the remote guidance stage,an object module is identified using an illumination adaptive target recognition algorithm,and then the active module moves to the docking area through communication with ZigBee.In the precise docking stage,the active module calculates the relative pose with the object module using a perspective-n-point method and dynamically adjusts its posture to dock.In this process,a Kalman filter is used to reduce target occlusion and jitter interference.In addition,the docking system feasibility is verified via several simulation experiments.The module docking accuracy is controlled within 0.01 m,which meets the reconfiguration task requirements of the AHIMR.In the AHIMR submodule docking experiment,the active module accurately moves to the expected position with a docking success rate of 95%.
