Morphobot: A Platform for Morphogenesis in Robot Swarm

Abstract

Various robot platforms have been developed for investigating new algorithms for swarm robotics. Morpho-genetic engineering in robot swarms, however, proposes new requirements for platforms: precise motion control, physical interactions with the environment or neighbor robots, and functionalized shells. Few current platforms fulfill all the above characteristics. Here, we present Morphobot, a robot platform for morphogenetic engineering in swarm robotics. Its direct current coreless motors provide physical support and strong power, meanwhile, these needle-like motors also enhance the physical interactions among robots. Each Morphobot has a changeable shell. It is functionalized for programming local interactions, through physical contact or communication, among Morphobots. We characterized the mobility of Morphobot to test its capability of moving and physically interacting with its neighbors. To demonstrate its advantages in the morphogenesis of robot swarms, we designed two morphogenetic engineering experiments. The results revealed that swarms of Morphobots can form patterns via physical interactions and optical communications.