Implementing configuration dependent gaits in a self-reconfigurable robot

In this paper we examine locomotion in the context of self-reconfigurable robots. Self-reconfigurable robots are robots built from many connected modules. A self-reconfigurable robot can change its shape and configuration by changing the way these modules are connected. The focus of this paper is to understand how several locomotion gaits can be represented in such a robot and how the robot can select one of these gaits depending on its configuration. We implement a control system based on role based control in a physical self-reconfigurable robot built from seven modules. In several experiments we successfully demonstrate that when the robot is manually reconfigured from a chain to a quadruped configuration the robot changes gait from a sidewinder snake gait to a quadruped walking gait. We conclude that role based control is a promising central method for controlling locomotion of self-reconfigurable robots.