Development and verification of connectors for modular robots to complete practical tasks on the moon

Abstract

Modular robots, capable of reconfiguration using heterogeneous modules, are considered to be suitable for the completion of base construction tasks on the lunar surface. To this end, there is a need for developing a connector mechanism that connects modules mechanically and electrically in a robust manner. This study developed such a connector with small size, diameter of 13 cm, and satisfactory strength with the ability to withstand a load of 35 Nm. The connector is designed to be genderless, which allows lower restriction in the connection orientation and high flexibility in the reconfiguration of modular robots. The electrical connection is equipped with electrical contact pins and pads that can establish 1000BASE–T Ethernet communication and RS485 communication, and provide 12 V power supply, enabling wired communication between the module computers and the powering of passive modules without a computer. In this study, the developed connectors were mounted onto actual modular robots and their performance and effectiveness was verified. The 16 connectors were sufficiently strong to configure the model of a 40 kg moving robot that consisted of four legs, one body, and four wheels, and the communication quality was acceptable.