A Creative Solution of Distributed Modular Systems for Building Ubiquitous Heterogeneous Robotic Applications

Employing knowledge of adaptive possibilities of agents in multi-agents system, we have explored new aspects of distributed modular systems for building ubiquitous heterogeneous robotic systems using intelligent building blocks (I-BLOCKS) [1] as reconfigurable modules. This paper describes early technological approaches related to technical design, experimental developments and evaluation of adaptive processing and information interaction among I-BLOCKS allowing users to easily develop modular robotic systems. The processing technology presented in this paper is embedded inside each $DUPLO^1$ brick by microprocessor as well as selected sensors and actuators in addition. Behaviors of an I-BLOCKS modular structure are defined by the internal processing functionality of each I-Block in such structure and communication capacities between I-BLOCKS. Users of the I-BLOCKS system can easily do 'programming by building' and thereby create specific functionalities of a modular robotic structure of intelligent artefacts without the need to learn and use traditional programming language. From investigating different effects of modern artificial intelligence, I-BLOCKS we have developed might possibly contain potential possibilities for developing modular robotic system with different types of morphology, functionality and behavior. To assess these potential I-BLOCKS possibilities, the paper presents a limited range of different experimental scenarios in which I-BLOCKS have been used to set-up reconfigurable modular robots. The paper also reports briefly about earlier experiments of I-BLOCKS created on users' natural inspiration by a just defined concept of modular artefacts.