This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II 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. Robotics has grown beyond automation to encompass 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 is an ideal platform for many research and teaching programs at colleges and universities. iMobot allows researchers to study artificial intelligence, swarm technology, robot collaboration, mobile networking, sensor fusion, gait simulation, and programming for re-configurability. Each module has am open architecture, with a processor capable of embedded Linux. 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, along with re-configurability. In this proposed Phase II project, a professional design team will develop necessary technology related to assembling into clusters including mechanical design, electrical interface, sensors, algorithms, control and control software and customer interface.
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is great. This proposed project will be one of the first attempts to scale up an intelligent reconfigurable modular robot for commercial deployment. The initial market for iMobot will be for university research and teaching. With a standardized hardware base using an open architecture users will be able to more widely share their work with each other, and create a valuable open educational resource. The future release of different iMobot versions will be for life-saving rescue and search operations in the first responder system, and for K-12 education. Robotics is an interdisciplinary field. The unique full mobility and reconfigurability of iMobot are very appealing. Modules can be used alone or in collaboration with others, making it a flexible and scalable educational tool. Because of the homogeneous nature of modular robotics, the cost of manufacturing is reduced through production of a large volume of similar parts. 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.
Barobo, Inc. was founded in 2010 as a commercial spinoff of technology developed in the Integration Engineering Laboratory at the University of California Davis. Barobo aims to make robotics more affordable, adaptable, reconfigurable, and reprogrammable for education and research. Our flagship product, the Linkbot, is a modular robot designed for transformative K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. With Babobo’s SnapConnector technology multiple modules easily connect for various applications. Linkbots are especially suitable to teaching and learning STEM subjects in the classroom with collaborative learning. Robots are the next shop class, which inspire students to pursue careers in science and engineering. Robots have the rare ability to get kids to sit up and listen, but the problem is most robots are way too hard for teachers to set up and use in the classroom. Barobo has bottled the attention-grabbing magic of robotics into a "click-through" curriculum that any first year teacher can use. Our robots are visualization tools that allow kids to see, hear, and feel coding and math. This opens up unique opportunities to explain complex concepts while keeping kids’ attention. iMobot This project studied the commercialization of a modular robot system called the iMobot, which was originally developed at the University of California, Davis. Unlike other modular robots, each module has full mobility when it is separated from the 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 the iMobot can lift itself into a camera platform, shown here. The iMobot sold for thousands of dollars and was cost prohibitive for the classroom. Mobot We stripped everything that wasn’t needed to reduce the cost to under three hundred dollars each and rebranded it the Mobot. The Mobot had as few unique parts as possible to reduce cost, which is one of the many strengths of modular robotics, symmetry of parts. Not only are all modules exactly the same, but each module is symmetric, sharing major components such as the outer sections and faceplates. Purchased parts making up the robot were readily available and the overall system was quickly and easily assembled in around 20 minutes each. Accessories Accessories included, but were not limited to, mount extenders allowing a small, medium, or large gap between modules, wheels to provide a smooth driving motion, and feet for a walking motion. The most complex passive accessory is a gripper design concept that is operated by rotating the faceplate, where there are no additional motors or electronics other than the rotating faceplate motion driving the gripper open and closed. Another example of passive accessories are magnetic attachment plates. In addition to attachment plates we’ve started developing fun attachments that bring more personality to the robots, like eyes and mustache attachment that can snap in like a Mr. Potato Head allowing the customer to personalize their robot. We’re working on animal attachments that allowed customers to add a snake head and tail to the snake shaped configuration, or feet, a head, and tail to the dog shaped robot. Very fun stuff! Linkbot After learning lessons from the Mobot being used in the classroom for 9 months and getting feedback from teachers and students we created the next generation modular robot, the Linkbot! Each robot has two rotating hubs which you can SnapConnect accessories to expand its capabilities, like wheels, grippers, four bar linkages and scoops. Each Linkbot costs under two hundred dollars and the cost goes down when purchased in bundles of multiple Linkbots. Accessories We’re constantly adding new accessories to our offering and are starting to see user generated accessories being uploaded to our website. We accomplished a big milestone of creating a part of our website called MyBarobo where users can upload and share 3D models, code and share 3D models, code, and curriculum so others can 3D print our robots and accessories. It’s very exciting to see the capabilities of the Linkbot grow every month! Even though the modular robot hardware is unchanging, it’s constantly expanding with accessories. Now that we’re focusing our energy on the Linkbot, this is a great opportunity to continue selling the Linkbot to schools that want to print out accessories with their own 3D printer.
