Here at BotJunkie, we love modular (and swarm) robotics. One of the big advantages that keeps getting talked about when it comes to modular robots is their resiliency; i.e. their ability to survive (and recover from) damage. This video shows ckBot, from the University of Pennsylvania’s Modular Robotics Lab, demonstrating the principle… Make sure to watch all the way to the end, it’s pretty funny:

This is what the researchers call “the rapid, randomized disassembly of a system from a high-energy event.” All I can say is, if this were my research project, the event that caused the randomized disassembly of a system that I’d put a lot of work into probably would not have been quite so high-energy. Sure, ckBot survived and managed to put itself back together, but it was clearly not quite the same afterwards. A little woozy, perhaps, but how would YOU feel if that had happened to you, hmm?

[ ModLab ] VIA [ Smart-Machines ]

I first wrote about SuperBot(s) over a year ago, and since I did, they’ve learned some new tricks. If you’re not familiar with these things, each SuperBot is itself made up of some number of relatively simple SuperBot modules working together. The modules are robots themselves, as each one has its own brain, motors, power source, and sensors, but the cool thing about SuperBots is their ability to work together. They’re able to autonomously attach to each other in an effectively infinite number of different ways, allowing them to adapt their structure (and consequent behavior) to virtually any situation. Take a look at a couple videos, and you’ll see how awesome these little guys are:

[ SuperBot ] VIA [ Communist Robot ]

The SoftBank 815T cellphone may not be a cool as this robot phone, but it is slightly more functional (albeit less robot-y) than this one. The phone itself is ho-hum, with 3G, a 3.2 mpx camera, and a QVGA screen. You turn it into a little mech figure by gluing (yes, gluing) matching arms and legs to the body of the phone. I guess, um, it might be useful as a speakerphone stand, but it’ll certainly cut down on the portability a little bit. The SoftBank phone is made to accessorize a new Japanese TV drama for teenagers called Ketai Sousakan 7, which apparently is supposed to feature robotic phones in some way.

I love you, Japan… You and your crazy robot phones.

VIA [ Akihabara News ]

This is MTRAN2, a modular robot who’s a few years old. I’m posting this because the video is neat, but also because I wanted to introduce you to MTRAN2 before you meet his younger sibling, MTRAN3. Old or not, MTRAN2 is a pretty clever little guy. Each one of his modules includes a battery pack, two motors, connectors, a tiny computer, a wireless receiver, and some sensors. The above video shows MTRAN2 in a walking configuration, encountering a slope that might make him unstable. MTRAN2 then reconfigures himself into a snake, which is a slower but far more stable way to move. The behavior is entirely autonomous, and MTRAN2 is able to reconfigure into a variety of different forms, including asymmetrical walkers and even a wheel. It’s a completely different take on flexible locomotion from, say, the RHex, and although it trades off speed and simplicity, there’s theoretically nothing the MTRAN2 couldn’t reconfigure itself to do.

[ MTRAN2 ]

I spotted this little tankbot at RoboDevelopment. His most notable feature is his treaded wheels, which can change their shape to adapt to terrain. The track itself is made of a stretchy material, and the bot can change its tracks from circular to… um… a sort of trapezoid (I guess) by deploying tread extenders from inside the wheels:

Wheels are good for going fast and for maneuvering, while tracks are good for traction and maximizing weight distribution to move over rough terrain. This bot does both, on the fly. Its tail includes a guidance camera, and also serves as a lever of sorts to help balance the robot and help it get over obstacles taller than itself. The Galileo wheel technology is being marketed to the military, agricultural machinery, and might also be a good way to drive a wheelchair, thanks to its ability to climb stairs. Personally, I’m hoping for a set of Galileo winter tires for my car.

[ Galileo ]

It’s a general inevitability: things that are adapted (or constructed) to function efficiently on land will have issues getting around in the air, and vice versa. This is even true for most animals, with the notable exception of insects, which were the inspiration for the MMALV Morphing Micro Air and Land Vehicle. Like many other micro drones, The MMALV has a wingspan of 1-2 feet, flies around with a small electric motor and controllable tail and wing surfaces, and mounts a tiny video camera. Unlike other micro drones, the MMALV can land, fold up its wings, and then scurry about on the ground thanks to a pair of revolving legs. To get airborne again, it has to make its way to the second floor of a building and jump off (hey, at least it’s possible). Here’s a video:

The MMALV research is being funded by the Air Force and (be very afraid) the Department of Homeland Security, so expect to see one of these following you around and designating you a credible threat in the near future.

[ MMALV ] VIA [ Danger Room ]

By Evan Ackerman

Had enough of robots transforming into cars yet? Of course you haven’t! Cherubim’s transforming maneuver doesn’t involve a nifty little somersault, and it may not make the best car, but it has some pretty good maneuverability as a humanoid and can pull off one heck of a karate chop. If I was a bottle of weird purple liquid, I’d be running for my life right about now.

[ Robot Force (In Japanese) ] VIA [ Robots-Dreams ]

The folks over at the SK-Pang website have been hard at work, designing something. Now we know what.

Thanks to a new add on kit, the Gogic Five robot just became something more than the sum of it’s parts. It can now turn into a racer that is capable of not only walking, but driving around and doing some pretty cool somersaults. It has some nice graceful moves and transforms pretty flawlessly, like a robotic acrobat. It’s a real treat to watch. And so, an already cool robot just got a lot cooler.

[ Robots-Dreams ]