Design and implementation of hexbot: A modular self-reconfigurable robotic system

This paper addresses the design and implementation of a planar hexagonal Modular Self-Reconfigurable Robotic System (MSRRS). A universal module is carefully designed to maintain certain criteria that seem to be in line with the common goals of this promising field including homogeneity, cost-effectiveness, fast actuation and quick and strong connections. While our working prototype is both large and restricted to a planar geometry, it is designed so that the hardware and software can be scaled up in the number of units and down in unit size and it can be extended to 3D applications. One of the novel approaches in our design is that it is based on a multilayer approach where each layer is dedicated to perform a specific task; in other words, the design itself is considered to be modular. This multilayer approach in both the hardware and software enables each layer to be modified and enhanced while keeping the remaining layers untouched and it provides openness, flexibility and ease of modification. The software infrastructure of this system is designed in a way that different hierarchies for distributed control and communication can be implemented.