A Self-Reconfigurable Modular Robot (MTRAN) – Hardware and Motion Generation Software –

In this paper we present our latest modular robot “MTRAN”(Modular Transformer) and its motion generation algorithm based on a four-module block method. The developed module is composed of two semi-cylindrical parts connected by a link. Each part has three connection surfaces where another module can be connected by magnetic force. Each module has only two degrees of freedom, but a group of modules can not only configure static 2-D or 3-D structures but also generate robotic motions. We realized several robotic motions and transformation by hardware experiments. Block motions made by proposed motion generator are also verified by experiments.