A study on dynamically reconfigurable robotic systems. (1st report. Experiments of automatic approach, connection and separation between cells).

Abstract

This paper deals with experimental aspects of a practical realization method for dynamically reconfigurable robotic systems (DRRS) which can reconfigurate robots in an optimal structure, depending on working purposes and environments. This system is one of the autonomous distributed cooperative systems, which are systems with capabilities of communication, connection, and separation between functional units, called "cell' in this paper. Such a hardware construction has been long desired for the new generation of the robotic system. In this paper, it is shown that the modified DRRS does not require the precise positioning accuracy in the cell connection unlike the series I in the previous report. With the on board photosensors and ultrasonic sensors, the newly built robotic system can perform the automatic approach, connection and separation successfully.