TY - GEN
T1 - A Shared Electrical-Pneumatic and Reversible Locking Intermodule Connector for Modular Robots
AU - Knospler, Joshua
AU - Xue, Wei
AU - Trkov, Mitja
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 IEEE.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - With the increasing popularity of modular robotics, there has been an increasing need for reliable and strong connections between module units. This paper introduces two novel connectors, PAC (Power, Air, Communication) and MagLink (Magnetic Link), designed to advance the interconnectivity of modular robots and actuators. The PAC connector centralizes air, power, and communication in a single housing that simplifies integration and minimizes wiring complexities. Meanwhile, the MagLink connector employs a reversible, low power magnetic locking mechanism, ensuring robust and secure connections between robotic components. Both connectors can be integrated in a single compact unit. We characterized PAC connector in terms of maximum pressure, air flow, and sealing capabilities. MagLink was characterized in terms of connection strength, magnetic field/attractive forces to connect, alignment capture space, and power consumption. MagLink advantages are its low power consumption and 13-fold increase in strength compared to the regular magnetic connection. Together, PAC and MagLink herald a new opportunity in modular robotics, offering high force-to-weight ratio (6.4N/g), high strength-topower consumption ratio, reliable electrical connection, and pressure handling capabilities of at least 50 psi (0.34 MPa) packaged in a compact design that can be used across a wide range of robotic configurations. This research presents a step forward toward efficient electro-mechanical-pneumatic connectors for self-reconfigurable modular robots, promising practical solutions for a broad range of modular robotic applications.
AB - With the increasing popularity of modular robotics, there has been an increasing need for reliable and strong connections between module units. This paper introduces two novel connectors, PAC (Power, Air, Communication) and MagLink (Magnetic Link), designed to advance the interconnectivity of modular robots and actuators. The PAC connector centralizes air, power, and communication in a single housing that simplifies integration and minimizes wiring complexities. Meanwhile, the MagLink connector employs a reversible, low power magnetic locking mechanism, ensuring robust and secure connections between robotic components. Both connectors can be integrated in a single compact unit. We characterized PAC connector in terms of maximum pressure, air flow, and sealing capabilities. MagLink was characterized in terms of connection strength, magnetic field/attractive forces to connect, alignment capture space, and power consumption. MagLink advantages are its low power consumption and 13-fold increase in strength compared to the regular magnetic connection. Together, PAC and MagLink herald a new opportunity in modular robotics, offering high force-to-weight ratio (6.4N/g), high strength-topower consumption ratio, reliable electrical connection, and pressure handling capabilities of at least 50 psi (0.34 MPa) packaged in a compact design that can be used across a wide range of robotic configurations. This research presents a step forward toward efficient electro-mechanical-pneumatic connectors for self-reconfigurable modular robots, promising practical solutions for a broad range of modular robotic applications.
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U2 - 10.1109/AIM55361.2024.10637211
DO - 10.1109/AIM55361.2024.10637211
M3 - Conference contribution
T3 - IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics, AIM
SP - 160
EP - 165
BT - 2024 IEEE International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics, AIM 2024
PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
T2 - 2024 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics, AIM 2024
Y2 - 15 July 2024 through 19 July 2024
ER -