ABSTRACT
Self-reconfigurable modular robots are metamorphic systems that
can autonomously change their physical connections and form
different shapes so as to meet the demands of the tasks and the
environment. For example, in the search-and-rescue scenario, the
self-reconfigurable robot can become a wheel to run quickly on
the flat terrain to reach the place, change to a spider to climb over
the rubble pile, and then morph into a snake to penetrate the cracks
to reach the victim. In space exploration, since the environment and
tasks are unknown, it is hard to decide the right kind of robot to
be shipped to the space beforehand. Self-reconfigurable robots are
thus one of the best choices here. With the configuration changing
capability, modular robots have a great potential in adapting to
dynamic environments, performing multiple tasks, or recovering
from damages in unstructured and dynamic environments.
