Universal Reconfiguration of (Hyper-)cubic Robots

Abstract

We study a simple reconfigurable robot model which has not been previously examined: cubic robots comprised of three-dimensional cubic modules which can slide across each other and rotate about each others' edges. We demonstrate that the cubic robot model is universal, i.e., that an n-module cubic robot can reconfigure itself into any specified n-module configuration. Additionally, we provide an algorithm that efficiently plans and executes cubic robot motion. Our results directly extend to a d-dimensional model.