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  4. Kubits: Solid-State Self-Reconfiguration With Programmable Magnets
 
research article

Kubits: Solid-State Self-Reconfiguration With Programmable Magnets

Hauser, Simon  
•
Mutlu, Mehmet  
•
Ijspeert, Auke J.  
October 1, 2020
Ieee Robotics And Automation Letters

Even though many prototypes of 3D self-reconfiguring modular robots (SRMRs) have been developed in recent years, a demonstration involving 1'000 modules remains a challenge. This is largely due to complex mechanics needed to achieve connection, disconnection and especially actuation in such a system. This work introduces "Kubits," which is, to the best of our knowledge, the first SRMR that achieves these functionalities without moving parts, i.e. in solid-state. Each module contains a kind of programmable magnet whose magnetization can be controlled. The simultaneous control of touching magnet pairs of two modules is used to create attraction (connection), neutrality (disconnection) and actuation (repulsion), which results in self-reconfiguration by a cube pivoting around an edge. We detail the design of the system and demonstrate a series of successful flips, including a jumping mode. The energy-efficient, lightweight and robust (both in terms of mechanics and control) method in Kubits is a promising path for scalable self-reconfiguration.

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Type
research article
DOI
10.1109/LRA.2020.3013884
Web of Science ID

WOS:000560644500011

Author(s)
Hauser, Simon  
Mutlu, Mehmet  
Ijspeert, Auke J.  
Date Issued

2020-10-01

Publisher

IEEE-INST ELECTRICAL ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS INC

Published in
Ieee Robotics And Automation Letters
Volume

5

Issue

4

Start page

6443

End page

6450

Subjects

Robotics

•

actuation and joint mechanisms

•

cellular and modular robots

•

pivoting cube

•

programmable magnet

•

self-reconfiguration

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

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September 3, 2020
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/171287
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