Collaborative Research: Magnetically-Controlled Modules with Reconfigurable Self-Assembly and Disassembly

合作研究：具有可重构自组装和拆卸功能的磁控模块

• 批准号: 2130775
• 负责人: MinJun Kim
• 金额: $ 32.72万
• 依托单位: Southern Methodist University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2024-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2130775&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Magnetically; Controlled; Modules

Small scale manufacturing in real-time faces unique challenges. Components must be assembled inside or in close proximity to existing structures, such as inside the vasculature of an animal, inside a microfluidic system, or around soldered semiconductor components. This project will develop a new small-scale manufacturing method with the precision of modules, the reusability of Legos, and the self-assembly of DNA – but one that is controllable by an external magnetic field. Existing reconfigurable modular systems either use complex intelligent subunits, or are slow, usually only actuating a small number of modules at a time. There is an urgent need for robust, controllable, and efficient methods to overcome the existing issues regarding modular robotics and controllable self-reconfiguration. This award will design an innovative reconfigurable modular robotic system that uses actuatable subcomponents that can be actively assembled or disassembled on command. The modular subunits contain permanent magnets and are actuated using external magnetic fields generated by an electromagnetic system. The subunits can be moved in different motion modes that evolve dynamically as subunits assemble into complex modular structures. The issues addressed by this project are at the interface of small-scale robotics, control theory, design & manufacturing, and materials science, and hold exciting prospects for fundamental research with the potential for diverse applications. The project will provide tools and guidelines that will help advance current and future modular robotic systems. If successful, these robots can be used to perform targeted drug delivery, improve several healthcare procedures that utilize stents, and broaden microscale manufacturing prospects to produce more complex and dynamic systems. This research program integrates theoretical and experimental work with the following objectives: (1: Control) Fabricate scalable and magnetically controllable modular subunits through high resolution 3D printing techniques and embed bipolar permanent magnets to enable programmable spatial variation of magnetic properties to create heterogeneous behavior among subunits under a single global control input; design control techniques for steering components and assemblies; controllers for disassembly, (2: Applications) Manipulate modular subunits to assemble plugs, encapsulate objects, approximate shapes, and build scaffolds. (3: Multiplex) Advance algorithms for building factories that greatly speed up the assembly rate of modules into desired shapes and configurations. (4: Hardware) Fabricate an operational small-scale manipulation prototypical system that will integrate the other objectives' results and demonstrate a 3D small-scale fabrication system. This project is supported by the cross-directorate Foundational Research in Robotics program, jointly managed and funded by the Directorates for Engineering (ENG) and Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

小型制造实时面临独特的挑战。必须将组件组成在内部或紧邻现有结构的内部，例如动物的脉管系统内部，微流体系统内部或周围的焊接半导体组件。该项目将开发一种新的小规模制造方法，具有模块的精确度，乐高积木的可重复性以及DNA的自组装，但一种由外部磁场控制。现有的可重新配置模块化系统要么使用复杂的智能亚基，要么使用缓慢，通常一次仅操作少量模块。迫切需要强大的，控制器和有效的方法来克服有关模块化机器人技术和控制器自我构造的现有问题。该奖项将设计一个创新的可重新配置模块化机器人系统，该机器人系统使用可以在命令上积极组装或拆卸的实际子组件。模块化亚基包含永久磁铁，并使用电子系统产生的外部磁场进行激活。亚基可以以不同的运动模式移动，这些运动模式随着亚基组装成复杂的模块化结构而动态发展。该项目解决的问题是在小规模机器人技术，控制理论，设计与制造以及材料科学的界面上，并为潜在的潜在应用程序提供了令人兴奋的基础研究前景。该项目将提供工具和准则，以帮助推进当前和未来的模块化机器人系统。如果成功的话，这些机器人可用于执行有针对性的药物输送，改善使用支架的几种医疗保健程序，并扩大微观制造前景来生产更复杂和动态的系统。该研究计划将理论和实验性工作与以下目标相结合：（1：控制）通过高分辨率3D打印技术和嵌入双极的双极永久磁铁来构建可扩展和磁性控制的模块化亚基，以实现可编程的磁性特性的可编程空间变化，以在单个全球控制下在单个全球控制下创建磁性行为，从而在单个全球控制下产生异质行为；用于转向组件和组件的设计控制技术；拆卸的控制器（2：应用程序）操纵模块化亚基来组装插头，封装对象，近似形状和建造支架。 （3：多路复用）用于构建工厂的预付算法，该算法大大加快了模块的组装速率，以形成所需的形状和配置。 （4：硬件）制造一个操作的小规模操作典型系统，该系统将整合其他对象的结果并展示3D小规模的制造系统。该项目得到了机器人技术计划的跨指导基础研究的支持，该项目由工程局（ENG）以及计算机和信息科学与工程局（CISE）共同管理和资助。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是通过基金会的智力和更广泛影响的评估来审查Criteria通过评估来通过评估来获得支持的。

项目成果

Magnetically Controlled Modular Cubes With Reconfigurable Self-Assembly and Disassembly

• DOI: 10.1109/tro.2021.3114607
• 发表时间: 2022-06
• 期刊: IEEE Transactions on Robotics
• 影响因子: 7.8
• 作者: Anuruddha Bhattacharjee;Yitong Lu;Aaron T. Becker;Min-Joo Kim

Closed-Loop Control of Magnetic Modular Cubes for 2D Self-Assembly

用于二维自组装的磁性模块化立方体的闭环控制

• DOI: 10.1109/lra.2023.3296008
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
• 影响因子: 5.2
• 作者: Lu, Yitong;Bhattacharjee, Anuruddha;Taylor, Conlan C.;Leclerc, Julien;O'Kane, Jason M.;Kim, MinJun;Becker, Aaron T.
• 通讯作者: Becker, Aaron T.