Meta-Module Mutual Assistance: A Bioinspired Design for Self-Assembly of Modular Space Robot

The theoretical capability of modular robots to organize the overall robot into different structures with different functions has broad prospects in space exploration. Therefore, a novel modular space robot named Space Module is developed, and a self-assembly strategy inspired by biological cooperative and mutual assistance behaviors is proposed. First, the meta-module method is utilized to endow nonmobile modules with the mobility. Second, the mutual assistance is presented to achieve position and posture reachability of the assembly unit while minimizing the effect of meta-modules on granularity. Then, according to the unique motion characteristics of the meta-module and mutual assistance, an assembly planner is designed to obtain the assembly sequences to realize the self-manufacturing of desired configurations. Finally, the validity and feasibility of the proposed assembly strategy are further confirmed by demonstrations. An interactive preprint version of the article can be found here: .