M-Lattice: A self-configurable modular robotic system for composing space solar panels

Abstract

This article presents a modular robotic system called M-Lattice usable for automatically composing huge solar cell panels for space solar power satellites. The module structure design along with the model structure, the connector mechanism and the pattern of multi-module movement are described. A distributed control strategy called simulated growth enables the self-configuration. Using local communications, each module can execute path searching, path planning and multi-module movement. Computational simulations have demonstrated the practicability of the design. Whereas the current designs are mostly restricted to the situations when the modules are taken into the workspace one by one, the simulated growth strategy enables movement of several modules simultaneously or in a pipeline order.