A full-sized robot might find it difficult to pack for space travel because rockets going to the Moon or perhaps even Mars may be a little crowded. The answer: a modular robot that can be put together from smaller bits that join to build a swarm of interconnected objects that are all controlled by the same brain.
The Mori3 robot was created by a team of engineers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL). It can change from a simple triangle shape to almost any 3D item. According to recent research published in Nature Machine Intelligence, the concept is to have discrete modules that combine into various shapes to carry out a variety of jobs.
Shape-Shifting Robot
Mori3 might potentially help astronauts on colonies on the Moon and, in a more distant future, Mars, according to experts. The Reconfigurable Robotics Lab’s Jamie Paik stated in a statement that “our goal with Mori3 is to create a modular, origami-like robot that can be assembled and disassembled at will depending on the environment and task at hand.” “Mori3 can alter its dimensions, form, and purpose.”
Each triangle piece doesn’t appear to be much on its own, yet when joined together, the triangle pieces work as a swarm. According to the researchers, the Mori3 robot is truly partly independent because it can alter its shape, attach to other parts, and those parts can communicate with one another to construct a useful structure.
- Modular robots pack efficiently for space travel, assembling interconnected objects controlled by a single brain.
- Mori3 is a modular, origami-like robot designed for astronauts on Moon and Mars.
- Polygon meshing viable robotic strategy, researchers rethink view.
Robotics post-doctoral researcher Christoph Belke said in the statement, we had to rethink the way we view robotics. As a robotic strategy, polygon meshing has been demonstrated to be viable.
When Mori3 is in motion, it resembles a robotic spider or a zombie dog. Once it has been restored to its original state, it may move around, handle, and transport objects as well as engage in user interaction. Based on its shape, the robot is intended to fit inside spacecraft and carry out some simple duties, but it is not intended to conduct complex ones.
It is possible to use polygonal and polymorphic robots with articulated structures for a variety of applications, according to Jamie Paik, head of the Reconfigurable Robotics Lab.
A general-purpose robot like Mori3 will, of course, be less successful than specialized robots in some situations. That said, she continued, “Mori3’s strongest selling point is its adaptability.
