Kilobot: A Robotic Module for Demonstrating Behaviors in a Large Scale (\(2^{10}\) Units) Collective

Abstract

A collective of robots can together complete a task that is beyond the capabilities of any of its individual robots. One property of a robotic collective that allows it to complete such a task is the shape of the collective. This paper presents Kilobot, a simple modular robot designed to work in a collective to self-assemble and self-heal that collective’s shape. In previous work, an algorithm is given that allows a simulated collective of robots to self-assemble and self-heal a desired shape, keeping the shape sized proportional to the number of robots in the collective. In this abstract, the current work of producing a robotic collective that can demonstrate that algorithm is presented.