Structure Design and Simulation Analysis of an Innovative Modular Self-Reconfigurable Robot-360bot

An innovative modular self-reconfigurable robot is presented, namely 360bot, which has a continuous rotational degree of freedom. In addition to the common features of conventional modular robots, each module can move independently and reliably due to its special and simple structure, thereafter it imposes less restriction on the surrounding environment. The mechanism of each module is designed with multiple connections, including four connected faces and five connection modes, which enables the modular unit possessing multi-directional rotational degrees of freedom, and increases the functions and types of the modular combination system. In this paper, the structure design, kinematic and dynamic modeling, and simulation of 360bot are illustrated in detail. The configuration research of double modules is summarized and analyzed at last.