Programming reconfigurable modular robots

Abstract

Highly reconfigurable modular robots face unique control and programming challenges due to the large scale of the robotic systems, high level of reconfigurability of the systems, and high number of controllable degrees of freedom in the system. Modular robot systems such as iMobot must face these challenges in novel ways. This paper presents a unified software framework which facilitates the programming, coordination, and cooperation among multiple modular reconfigurable robots. The framework consists of Ch, a C/C++ scripting environment; Mobile-C, a C/C++ mobile agent framework; and CiMobot, an object-oriented C++ class capable of controlling multiple robot modules simultaneously. Three experiments with iMobots were performed using the new software framework. First, an iMobot is controlled autonomously using the software framework. Next, an iMobot is controlled in a master/slave scenario using the same code-base. Finally, the robot is controlled by a mobile agent using the software framework. The robotic system functions correctly and similarly for each of the experimental scenarios.