Motion and self-reconfiguration planning of self-reconfigurable robot based on windmill-like meta-module

Self-reconfigurable robots are different from other kinds of robots. The important difference is that these robots are self-reconfigurable based on their parts being intrinsically mobile. In order to give self-reconfigurable robots this ability, the authors conducted research using a structural features analysis of a DL-Cube module unit. On this basis a windmill-like meta-module (WLMM) was constructed. A design was made using the hierarchical planning method, on the basis of the WLMM, providing motion to the parts of the self-reconfigurable robot by a configuration that consists of WLMMs in the horizontal plane. At the same time, the WLMMs mobility allows changes to the azimuth of modules and the carrying of other modules. Thus the reconfiguration proceeds from an initial rectangular configuration to one that consists of 24 modules in an " H" configuration. Simulation experiments were given to prove the effectiveness of the hierarchical planning method and the feasibility of creating reconfigurability using WLMMs.