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PolyBot - Modular, self-reconfigurable robots
Modular, self-reconfigurable robots show the promise of
great versatility, robustness and low cost. Polybot is a modular, self-reconfigurable
system that is being used to explore the hardware reality of a robot with
a large number of interchangeable modules. Three generations of Polybot
have been built over the last three years which include ever increasing
levels of functionality and integration. Polybot has shown versatility, by
demonstrating locomotion over a variety of terrain and manipulating a
variety of objects.
Polybot is the first robot to demonstrate sequentially
two topologically distinct locomotion modes by self-reconfiguration.
Polybot has raised issues regarding software scalability and hardware
dependency and as the design evolves the issues of low cost and robustness
are being addressed while exploring the potential of modular, self-reconfigurable
robots
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