Modular Reconfigurable Robots, An Approach To Urban Search and Rescue

Abstract

Modular, self-reconfigurable robots show the promise of great versatility, robustness and low cost which are all elements for a successful urban search and rescue (USAR) system. This paper presents examples and issues in realizing those promises. PolyBot is a modular, self-reconfigurable system that is being used to explore the hardware reality of a robot with a large number of interchangeable modules with applications to USAR. PolyBot has demonstrated locomotion versatility over a variety of terrain and manipulation versatility with a variety of objects. PolyBot is the first robot to demonstrate sequentially two topologically distinct locomotion modes by self-reconfiguration. PolyBot has raised issues regarding software scalability and hardware dependency and will continue to raise issues as the design evolves to resolve preceding issues and explore the potential of modular, self-reconfigurable robots. Finally this paper addresses the issues required to make robot systems useful for current USAR applications. 1.