Robots in Disguise

By itself, a polygon may be a relatively simple, two-dimensional structure. But when you get lots of them together, it can lead to some interesting possibilities. Consider computer graphics, for example, in which polygons form the building blocks for creating intricate three-dimensional models. With their ability to efficiently represent surfaces and facilitate smooth transformations, polygons are a cornerstone of computer graphics, enabling the creation of visually stunning and immersive digital experiences.

The versatility of polygons has also been explored in developing physical objects, like robots. They offer a great deal of promise for the creation of multifunction robots that can adapt to a wide range of tasks and environments. Traditional robots with a rigid body structure that have been purpose-built for a specific use case may have a performance advantage, but when packing a lot of capabilities into a small package is a requirement, the versatility of a reconfigurable polygon-based structure is hard to beat.

One application area where such versatility is especially important is in space travel and exploration. It is very expensive to launch cargo into space, so bringing a variety of purpose-built robots along for the ride to service each use case is not feasible. And as the missions push further into space — like the trips to the Moon and Mars that are currently being prepared for — it becomes ever more critical to pack more functionality into smaller and smaller spaces.

To supply these future space explorers with the full suite of tools that they will need, researchers at the Reconfigurable Robotics Lab of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology have developed a highly reconfigurable robotics platform that they call Mori3. Composed of triangular modules that each provide different capabilities, and can easily be attached to one another, Mori3 robots can form a wide range of arbitrary shapes. By carefully choosing and arranging these building blocks, robots can be rapidly assembled to assist with a variety of tasks, and under differing environmental conditions.

In this initial work, the researchers set out to prove that physical meshing of a polygon-based toolkit of parts could be leveraged to construct robots that can carry out some crucial functions during space travel. Those functions are user interaction, locomotion, and manipulation. To make this possible, the building blocks needed to be capable of communicating with one another, and also needed to be reconfigurable to form functional and articulated structures.

During the course of their experimentation, they found that these objectives had been achieved with Mori3. While this system was designed with space exploration in mind, the qualities of Mori3 robots are also well-suited for many tasks right here on Earth as well. The team notes that their techniques could be used to develop new and useful types of interactive and assistive personal devices.

We have also reported on other robots that are vying for a spot on upcoming space missions, so it is too early to tell which will get their wings. But in any case, this innovation will have far-reaching benefits, whether they are in a galaxy far, far away, or right here at home.