This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will study the feasibility for commercialization of an intelligent reconfigurable modular robot system called iMobot, which was originally developed at the University of California, Davis. Nowadays, robotics has grown beyond automation to encompass intelligent systems that are self-reliant, reconfigurable, mobile, intelligent, and aware of their environment. iMobot has four degrees of freedom capable of full mobility and assembly into clusters. Because of its flexibility, modularity, and reconfigurability, iMobot will be an ideal platform for many research and teaching programs in colleges and universities. For example, it allows researchers to study artificial intelligence, swarm technology, robot collaboration, mobile networking, and programming for reconfigurability. iMobot is designed with open architecture. Each module has a processor capable of supporting sensor fusion, gait simulation, and runs an open source embedded Linux operating system. Users can customize software and accessories for their specific needs. Proposed product feasibility research includes adaptable connectivity between modules, intelligent plug-and-play sensors, a robust and lightweight chassis, and re-configurability. In this proposed project, a professional design team will re-design and build a commercial quality prototype of iMobot for manufacturing in a large quantity.
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is that the proposed project will be one of the first attempts to scale up an intelligent reconfigurable modular robot for commercial deployment. The iMobot could be used for university research and teaching, K-12 STEM education, and life-saving rescue and search operations in the first responder system. With a standardized hardware base using an open architecture, users will be able to more widely share their work with each other, and to create a valuable open educational resource. Robotics is an interdisciplinary field. The unique full mobility and reconfigurability of iMobot are very appealing to college and K-12 students. The robot can be used alone or in collaboration with others, making it a flexible and scalable educational tool. By introducing students to interesting robotic projects with affordable hardware platforms, which involve a variety of math, physics, information technology, and engineering principles, we can excite their imagination and give them confidence to pursue STEM careers, especially for underrepresented and economically disadvantaged groups.
This project studies the commercialization of an intelligent modular robot system called iMobot, which was originally developed at the University of California, Davis. Unlike other modular robots, each module of iMobot has full mobility when it is separated from a cluster, which is made possible by four controllable degrees of freedom. Each module can move with a variety of locomotion including inch-worming, turning, driving, arched driving, and driving with a reduced profile. The most novel feature is that a single module of iMobot can lift itself into a camera platform. This unique motion can be used to capture video of the surrounding environment when used for surveillance, and to recover itself when the robot falls from rubble in search and rescue operations. Furthermore, multiple modules can either be manual or self-reconfigured to form a variety of different configurations, such as a four wheel drive truck, snake, and humanoid, for different tasks on demand. In this Phase I project, Barobo Inc. re-designed the iMobot modular robot system for the purpose of commercialization. Barobo has successfully redesigned the iMobot module for commercialization over the period of our SBIR Phase I grant. In the proposed Phase II project, a professional design team will develop necessary technology related to assembling modules into clusters including mechanical design, electrical interface, sensors, algorithms, control and control software and customer interface. Also, a full array of sensors and accessories will be developed to allow researchers to study artificial intelligence, swarm technology, robot collaboration, mobile networking, sensor fusion, gait simulation, and programming for re-configurability. Each module is designed with open architecture in mind, having a processor capable of supporting an embedded Linux operating system. Users can customize software and accessories for their specific needs. Barobo has received a great deal of media attention from well know news organizations such as Popular Science, CNET, Engadget, and The Wall Street Journal. Our Youtube video has received over 69,000 views since the start of this grant with a 100% positive rating. PI Graham Ryland was interviewed on the Popular Science Podcast, and Co-PI Harry Cheng and Graham Ryland were interviewed by ABC 7 San Fransisco. In all interviews and press releases Barobo acknowledged the support from the National Science Foundation. We also have published two significant papers on iMobot in notable periodicals, the first being a full length article in the ASME Mechanical Engineering Magazine and the second is a conference paper for the ASME/IEEE International Conference on Mechatronic and Embedded Systems and Applications. In both we acknowledge support by the National Science Foundation. Several other papers will be submitted for publication in the near future.
