Control Algorithms for Self-Reconfigurable Robots

The abilities of modern computers has provided immense power and flexibility for modeling things in the virtual realm. Yet the robotic systems through which computers can interact with the physical world are far more limited. Robots are often designed for limited, specific tasks with little chance of extending to different abilities. Self-reconfigurable robots are systems composed of many small modules that can autonomously reconfigure the shape and structure of their system. The versatility of such systems gives a way to extend the flexible power of computers from the virtual realm to the physical world. While promising, development of self-reconfigurable robotics is still in the early stages and large challenges remain in designing the physical modules and especially in designing the algorithms that will control them. This project will seek to develop control algorithms for self-reconfigurable robots that extend and improve upon those currently used in the field.