Distributed computation of forces in modular-robotic ensembles as part of reconfiguration planning

Abstract

We discuss selected mechanical aspects of self-reconfiguration of densely-packed modular robots. The change of connection topology and transport of modules are fundamental mechanisms for these systems, which determine their desired emergent behavior, e.g., movement, shape change or interaction with their surroundings. At the same time, reconfiguration affects the forces between modules. We present a distributed procedure by which a robot can predict if the next planned reconfiguration step will overstress intermodular connections. We use a Finite Element model of a modular robot, with one-node-per-module discretization and beam elements representing intermodular connections. The analysis is restricted to static loads and linear elasticity. We present a distributed procedure of aggregation of the stiffness matrix and iterative solution of the resulting equations of elasticity. The procedure is illustrated with numerical examples and analyzed in terms of its efficiency.