Soon you can get your hands on the Mobot modular robot for a very reasonable $270 a module (pre-orders available now). A number of connection plates and attachments will also be available, and I guess you can 3D print your own stuff.

Mobot [...]]]>

Mobot by Barobo.com

Soon you can get your hands on the Mobot modular
robot for a very reasonable $270 a module (pre-orders
available now). A number of connection plates and
attachments will also be available, and I
guess you can 3D print your own stuff.

Mobot by Barobo.com

I like the gripper that is powered and controlled by the
rotating faceplate. I am sure the same concept can be
used to 3D print some cool things in the future.
A connector would be an awesome thing and definitely
worth a price of some sort.

In general, it seems to be a very competent modular
robotics system. It uses a snap together connector,
making it simple and fast to use, but maybe not as
strong as a system that screws together.

There is a Graphical User Interface RobotController,
and you can program it with the C/C++ interpreter Ch
so everyone from beginner to hard core hacker should
be able to do some really cool stuff.

Intro video

Example video

UCD Press release

http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=10201

More information and Specs on Barobo.com

Mobot by Barobo.com

Mobot by Barobo.com

Mobot by Barobo.com

In this episode I talk to Prof. Subramanian Ramamoorthy. He tells us how he got started in robotics and how he first saw the strengths of the modular concept. He saw this in National Instruments’ use of modularity for building electronic testing instruments that fit a specific situation rather than being [...]]]>

Prof. Subramanian Ramamoorthy

In this episode I talk to Prof. Subramanian Ramamoorthy.
He tells us how he got started in robotics and how he first saw
the strengths of the modular concept. He saw this in National
Instruments’ use of modularity for building electronic testing
instruments that fit a specific situation rather than being large
“do it all” monoliths.

We talk about his use of free agents in control of SRCMR,
and how they can be used to interact with a dynamic world
by constantly adapting to it. Prof. Ramamoorthy also introduces
the concept of transfer learning. He explains how he and
Dr Hassan-Mahmud are currently exploring how we can reuse
learning by transferring what we learnt in one situation to another,
slightly different situation. This is especially interesting for SRCMR,
as they can adapt much more to the situation than a regular robot.

Bio:
Dr. Subramanian Ramamoorthyis a Lecturer in Robotics at the School of
Informatics, University of Edinburgh, since 2007. Previously, he received a
PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from The University of Texas at
Austin. His current research work is focused on problems of autonomous decision
making over time and under uncertainty, by long-lived agents and agent teams
interacting with continually changing worlds. These problems are solved
using a combination of methods including layered representations involving
geometric/topological abstractions, game theoretic and related models of
inter-dependent decision making, and machine learning with emphasis on
issues of transfer and continual learning, reinforcement learning, etc.
He has twice been a finalist for the Best Paper Award at major international
conferences in the field of robotics – ICRA 2008 and IROS 2010, He
leads Team Edinferno, the first UK entry in the Standard Platform League at
the RoboCup International Competition.

• Subramanian Ramamoorthy’s home page at The University of Edinburgh
• Subramanian Ramamoorthy’s thesis
  ftp://ftp.cs.utexas.edu/pub/qsim/papers/Ramamoorthy-PhD-07.pdf
• Boook On Universal Transfer Learning by Dr Hassan-Mahmud http://www.amazon.com/Universal-transfer-learning-Hassan-Mahmud/dp/1243554134
• Papper on On Universal Transfer Learning by Dr Hassan-Mahmud http://users.cecs.anu.edu.au/~hassan/univTLTCS.pdf
• The Ensemble Axiom at Wikipedia (referred to in the show)

I have used modular robots in real life and so have Modular robotics, the company that makes the Cubelets.

They just published [...]]]> If you think that modular robotics is cool, but that it will not be available or usable for a very long time, think again. It is actually both available and used right now!

I have used modular robots in real life and so have Modular robotics, the company that makes the Cubelets.

They just published this great video, where you can see how they build a test rig for Cubelets, with Cubelets!

They had to modify the Cubelets quite a bit, and although that is not really modular robotics I think we have to give them that, as the Cubelets are early in development and they are not claimed to be an industrial strength system.

I have also built a practically usable object I could not easily have bought as an old-school product myself!
I used the Cubelets to build a dimmable flashlight. It was really convenient and exactly what I needed right then and there,
and it took me less then 10 seconds to do! I don’t think any other system could have done this or something even close to that.

So I boldly proclaim that the era of modular robotics is here!

And I am looking forward to many more cool things built with modular robotics, and the self reconfiguring version that is on the horizon!

http://www.modrobotics.com/blog/?p=466

Added Requirement 49. Totally quiet

The connector is one of the biggest challenges in SRCMR, so I have compiled a list of all requirements that I think are in any way relevant when designing a SRCMR connector.

I do not say that we need, or should even try, to satisfy all [...]]]> Last edit (19 Mar 2012):

Added Requirement 49. Totally quiet

The connector is one of the biggest challenges in SRCMR,
so I have compiled a list of all requirements that I think
are in any way relevant when designing a SRCMR connector.

I do not say that we need, or should even try, to satisfy all
these requirements in one particular connector.
On the contrary, I feel that choosing which of these requirements
to include and exclude when we design a connector might be
one of the most important and difficult choices in developing a
SRCMR system. I think that the list should serve as a reference
point and that we need to relate to the requirements on it when
we design a particular connector.

I will write more about the individual requirements and the selection
process later. As usual any comments are highly appreciated.

The requirements are not sorted in any particular order, or grouped,
that is something I will try to do in an update. So here is the list:

1. Reliable connect, and disconnect
2. Small (thin, low volume, compact)
3. Fast
4. Light
5. Robust (relates to requirement 1, 9 & 10)
6. Strong
7. Scalable (able to attach to copies of itself in different sizes so that we can connect modules of different sizes efficiently)
8. Easily producible in different scale (otherwise it cannot scale)
9. Degrade gracefully and predictably (if it is violently disconnected it shall be able to reconnect, if power is low it shall connect/disconnect, albeit slower)
10. Hard to foul/ easy de-fouling/ self de-fouling
11. High tolerance to alignment errors, when connecting
12. Solid state (no/as few moving parts as possible)
13. Easily powered mechanically from the outside
14. Transfer communications signals
15. Transfer electric power
16. Transfer torque (Thor robot)
17. Genderless, any connector should be able to connect to any other
18. One sided release (to be able to release a defective module)
19. Two sided release (requires both modules to release to decouple, makes it possible to hold onto a misbehaving module)
20. Able to connect on different approach vectors, and to do so simultaneously, this is useful when inserting a module in a tight lattice
21. Straight connect vector (no turning to fit X degree symmetry 90,180 etc)
22. Low internal forces (reduces the structural demands and actuator power)
23. Boolean, connected or disconnected and nothing in between
24. Reliable status indication on whether is is connected or not
25. Zero approach movement of the module to connect (connector can move but module shall not have to)
26. Common force center for all angels (is this more about how the connector us used when more than one is used in the same module)
27. Adjustable angle of attachment to keep force lines and angles under control, (useful in tensegrity systems)
28. Cheap to make
29. Easy to make in large numbers
30. Low tolerance requirements
31. Some requirements should be configurable in software when a solution is developed:, e.g. 18 One sided release, 19 two sided release and 9 Degrade gracefully
32. Consume power only at state change
33. Service and maintenance free
34. Disconnect gracefully when in use and force is applied to it and it is ordered to disconnect (not the same as 9)
35. Connect from one face and release from any other if used in a multi connector module
36. Zero backlash, rigid connection
37. Self centering of alignment errors
38. Rotational symmetry in inertia tensor, the connector mass should be balanced
39. Gripping force provided by both sides of the connector equally
40. Non blocking, when used in a multi connector module all connectors must be usable
41. An arbitrary number of Simultaneous Connect/Disconnect when used in a multi connector module
42. An arbitrary number of connectors must be usable in a module, so that the module designer can implement cubes, dodecahedrons etc)
43. Arbitrary arrangements in space of connectors on modules, so that the module designer can implement cubes, dodecahedrons etc
44. Not use excessive heat, current, voltages and pressures
45. Not use toxic or excessively reactive chemicals
46. Not use fluids or other small parts that can leek, break off and cause fouling)
47. Wide environmental operating conditions (temperature, humidity, vibrations etc)
48. Stable over time, for instance expected wear and tear shall not affect its behaviour and it should not use degrading materials
49. Totally quiet

Thanks for your feedback Christina, Mårten, Tom Larkworthy, Neil Desmond and Jonas Neubert

Andreas Lyder

One maybe unexpected change is how we perceive travel.

Self-reconfiguring modular robotics (SRCMR) will make travel transparent and almost unnoticeable. No more hassle, stress and wasted time and [...]]]> As I wrote in “Rooms and living spaces in a SRCMR world” many things change
when your living space becomes active and can do things for you.

One maybe unexpected change is how we perceive travel.

Self-reconfiguring modular robotics (SRCMR) will make travel
transparent and almost unnoticeable. No more hassle,
stress and wasted time and at the same time
it will also make it significantly cheaper and greener by
using infrastructure investments more efficiently and allowing
the use of less fuel and energy demanding ways of travel with
the same convenience.

The basics are simple. Since your room is active and not permanently
attached, it can move itself around with you in it.

How can it do that? Well, when you are in one of these smart apartments,
the only thing you see is the inside walls, floors, ceiling and the
view from the window, right? What happens beyond that thin
layer of modules is not your business. This might sound strange
but how much do you actually know about what goes on in and
outside your regular walls?

So with active walls etc that can be controlled, we can move the
room around with you in it and you wouldn’t notice it much .
You will feel dynamic forces, alas we cannot circumvent Newton,
and naturally the view from your window disappears, or will be
replaced with a screen showing an image. But from many other
perspectives, you will be in your home and it will be hard to
notice that you are travelling. That is surely a step up from
travelling as it is today!

Now I bet you are thinking that this is just as far off as
jet packs and other things you see in the Jetsons.
And parts of it might very well be. But we can build a
system that integrates just enough of this new world
with what we already have, to get a simple but totally
new transport system much sooner than you think.

From the inside, a trip in this new fashion would be a non-event.
You would only notice some sounds, movement etc and depending
on your mode of travel you might need to be strapped in
as you would in a car or plane. But other than that you are in a
smaller version of your own home. It might look like this cabin
that is available on the Airbus 380

Singapore airlines suites

or like this Japanese capsule hotel, depending on your budget.

9h Hotell

And you are free to do pretty much what
you regularly do at home, talk to friends you travel with, use the
computer, watch TV and sleep.

On the outside, much more is going on. You will be picked up
by regular trucks using custom trailers. You might be driven
straight to your destination or to an air/sea port or train station
where you are automatically transferred between the different
modes of transportation until you arrive at your destination.

When it becomes this easy to travel you can travel more
and further than you do today. Imagine that you
could accept spending an evening, a night and a morning at
home, as I expect you do that quite often anyway.
That would give you 12-14 hours of travelling time, and that
is more than enough to go from London to Tokyo.
And all that without noticing it all that much. Spending what
in practice is no time at all (remember you would have been
at home doing what you did anyway), you just increased your
action radius to half-way across the globe. Pretty amazing.

This was an introduction to travelling with SRCMR systems. It
included an early implementation that based itself on a little bit
of SRCMR in the first step and then used old school familiar
means of transportation. I will be writing more about travelling
that is completely based on SRCMR soon.

Thanks Christina and Mårten for reading drafts of this.

Secondly, it can create and change all your major furniture pieces like tables, [...]]]> One really amazing thing that SRCMR can
do is to totally transform our houses and apartments.
It will do so in two deceivingly simple ways.
First, it allows you to move and change your
inner walls and floor surfaces etc at will*

Secondly, it can create and change all your major furniture
pieces like tables, chairs, sofas and beds etc.

So what you say, how will this change much?
Or why would I want to move my walls around?

Well it is actually a bigger change than you might think.
It will change what you look for when you buy your home.
The fact that you can change the space and adapt it to
different uses, means you only need to buy the amount
of space you need simultaneously.

You can then use all of the space for different purposes at
different times.

So let’s look at how this might play out in a real world scenario:

Say you want to have some friends over for a party. First, you
need a big kitchen to prepare the food so you turn nearly
all of the space in to one large kitchen. When you are finished
there, you need a bath so some of your space is turned in to
that. When your guests start to arrive, you need one big
open space to mingle in and three small restrooms to avoid ques.
For the sit down dinner you need a big table and many chairs,
and when that is done a dance floor and a lounge area with
sofas and chairs would be created. When the party is over, 4 of your
friends would like to spend the night, because you are going shopping
together tomorrow the space is turned into 5 small bedrooms.

The flexibility of a SRCMR apartment can do all that. (And much more!)

The best thing is, that since you only need to buy 20-40 square metres,
you can afford to buy an apartment in that nice area you always wanted
to but could not afford!

How is that for a wow factor!

The value of flexibility in your apartment is shown nicely by Gary
Chang, and although he is using old school technology he gets an amazing
amount of features into his small apartment.

* To begin with I do not include the
supporting or outer walls. It will do that
some day too, but it will start with the
simpler inner walls that divide your
home up into bedrooms, living rooms
etc. Even that relatively simple start will bring
tremendous change!

Thanks Christina and Mårten for reviewing this post,
all remaining errors are my own!

But you diden’t get one of the 250 prototype kits, and now they are out of stock

That is where the flexibility Envelope comes to the rescue!

You can win free tinkering time in the: