Kavraki Lab

Physical and Biological Computing

Keywords:

Abstract:

The field of modular self-reconfigurable robotic systems
addresses the design, fabrication, motion planning, and
control of autonomous kinematic machines with variable
morphology. Beyond conventional actuation, sensing, and
control typically found in fixed-morphology robots,
self-reconfigurable robots are also able to deliberately
change their own shape by rearranging the connectivity of
their parts in order to adapt to new circumstances, perform
new tasks, or recover from damage. Over the last two
decades, this field has advanced from proof-of-concept
systems to elaborate physical implementations and
simulations. The goal of this article is to outline some of
this progress and identify key challenges and opportunities
that lay ahead.