Using role-based control to produce locomotion in chain-type self-reconfigurable robots

Kasper Støy, Wei-Min Shen, and Peter Will. Using role-based control to produce locomotion in chain-type self-reconfigurable robots. IEEE/ASME Trans. on Mechatronics, 7(4):410–417, December 2002.

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Abstract

This paper presents a role-based approach to the problem of controlling locomotion of chain-type self-reconfigurable robots. In role-based control, all modules are controlled by identical controllers. Each controller consists of several playable roles and a role-selection mechanism. A role represents the motion of a module and how it synchronizes with connected modules. A controller selects which role to play depending on the local configuration of the module and the roles being played by connected modules. We use role-based control to implement a sidewinder and a caterpillar gait in the CONRO self-reconfigurable robot. The robot is made from up to nine modules connected in a chain. We show that the locomotion speed of the caterpillar gait is constant even with loss of 75% of the communication signals. Furthermore, we show that the speed of the caterpillar gait decreases gracefully with a decreased number of modules. We also implement a quadruped gait and show that without changing the controller the robot can be extended with an extra pair of legs and produce a hexapod gait. Based on these experiments, we conclude that role-based control is robust to signal loss, scales with an increased number of modules, and is a simple approach to the control of locomotion of chain-type self-reconfigurable robots.

BibTeX Entry

@Article{	  stoy2002using-role-based-control-to-produce,
  abstract	= {This paper presents a role-based approach to the problem
		  of controlling locomotion of chain-type self-reconfigurable
		  robots. In role-based control, all modules are controlled
		  by identical controllers. Each controller consists of
		  several playable roles and a role-selection mechanism. A
		  role represents the motion of a module and how it
		  synchronizes with connected modules. A controller selects
		  which role to play depending on the local configuration of
		  the module and the roles being played by connected modules.
		  We use role-based control to implement a sidewinder and a
		  caterpillar gait in the CONRO self-reconfigurable robot.
		  The robot is made from up to nine modules connected in a
		  chain. We show that the locomotion speed of the caterpillar
		  gait is constant even with loss of 75\% of the
		  communication signals. Furthermore, we show that the speed
		  of the caterpillar gait decreases gracefully with a
		  decreased number of modules. We also implement a quadruped
		  gait and show that without changing the controller the
		  robot can be extended with an extra pair of legs and
		  produce a hexapod gait. Based on these experiments, we
		  conclude that role-based control is robust to signal loss,
		  scales with an increased number of modules, and is a simple
		  approach to the control of locomotion of chain-type
		  self-reconfigurable robots.},
  author	= {Kasper St{\o}y and Wei-Min Shen and Peter Will},
  journal	= {{IEEE/ASME} Trans. on Mechatronics},
  month		= dec,
  number	= {4},
  pages		= {410--417},
  title		= {Using role-based control to produce locomotion in
		  chain-type self-reconfigurable robots},
  volume	= {7},
  year		= {2002}
}