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Updated: Jun 29, 2025
11:53
The Modular Design and Production of an Intelligent Robot Based on a Closed-Loop Control Strategy
Published on: October 14, 2017
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Enabling robustness to failure with modular field robots
Troy Cordie1,2, Jonathan Roberts2, Matthew Dunbabin2
1CSIRO Robotics, Data61, Pullenvale, QLD, Australia.
Frontiers in Robotics and AI
|March 28, 2024
Summary
Modular robots can eject failed parts to improve mission length and robustness. This modular robotic architecture enhances robot performance in challenging environments, even with actuator failures.
Area of Science:
- Robotics
- Mechanical Engineering
Background:
- Actuator failures in remotely deployed robots decrease efficiency and operability.
- Increasing robot autonomy and remote operation necessitate enhanced failure robustness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present modular robotic architecture approaches for improving robustness to actuator failure.
- To enhance both fixed-configuration and modular reconfigurable robots.
Main Methods:
- Utilized modular reconfigurable robots capable of altering locomotion and morphology by ejecting modules.
- Implemented testing in both Gazebo simulations and physical field trials.
- Compared performance against robots with fixed configurations and controllers.
Main Results:
- Modular robots demonstrated improved distance traveled and reduced environmental traversal effort.
- Robots with adaptable locomotion showed greater robustness to actuator failure than fixed-controller robots.
- Robots that could change both locomotion and morphology significantly outlasted fixed-morphology counterparts.
Conclusions:
- Ejecting modular failed components can enhance overall mission duration.
- Modular robotic systems offer a viable solution for improving robot resilience in autonomous operations.
- Adaptable locomotion and morphology are key to robust robotic performance in the face of component failure.
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