Unlike robots, living creatures are open systems that absorb material from their environment, metabolize it, and shed waste. As a result, they can self-repair, self-sustain, and grow. This dissertation explores a process that allows robots to act similarly, showing the possibility of self-repairing, self-sustaining, and growing “robot organisms.” I study whether robots can absorb and integrate new material, and shed waste.
Two novel robot platforms are introduced in the context of this study: the Robot Link, and the Vibrating Particle Robot. The former is a truss-style modular robot platform, while the latter is a particle robot. In this work, I share the hardware designs and build instructions for both robots, and explain relevant parts of the software used to operate the robots. I found that the Robot Link platform is capable of self-assembly, self-repair, and absorbing Robot Links to make itself bigger, faster, or more capable.
Further, I demonstrated that three-dimensional robots made from Robot Links can assist in forming other three-dimensional Robot Link structures. The results offer a glimpse of the potential of metabolic machines and introduces them as a path to more adaptable, resilient, and sustainable robots in the future.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:columbia.edu/oai:academiccommons.columbia.edu:10.7916/2f5y-bv30 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Wyder, Philippe Martin |
| Source Sets | Columbia University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Theses |
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