Self-reconfiguration planning for deformable quadrilateral modular robots

Abstract

While deformable modular self reconfigurable robots offer enhanced reconfiguration flexibility, strict kinematic constraints present complex self reconfiguration planning challenges. This letter presents a novel self-reconfiguration planning algorithm for deformable quadrilateral MSRRs. The method first constructs feasible connect/disconnect actions using a virtual graph representation, and then organizes these actions into a valid execution sequence through a Dependence-based Reverse Tree (DRTree) that resolves interdependencies. We also prove that reconfiguration sequences satisfying motion characteristics exist for any pair of configurations with seven or more modules (excluding linear topologies). Finally, comparisons with a modified BiRRT algorithm highlight the superior efficiency and stability of our approach, while deployment on a physical robotic platform confirms its practical feasibility.