The modular robotics field aims to revolutionize modern conventional robotics and industrial automation by producing a set of modules capable of forming a variety of robots of different shapes and functionalities each performing equally well or better than conventional robot dedicated to one specific task. Recent modular robotics research still requires high entry level of expertise in engineering, robotics, and computer science. Moreover, over the current two decades research in modular robotics has remained quite expensive: if one module is constructed at a cost of a car and the usable set of modules can only be produced at a cost of a house, only few wealthy research labs and universities will be able to afford research in this area.
In other hand, one of the major challenges that limit the public interest to the area of modular robotics is the lack of demonstrable killer application as concluded by most of researchers in the field where modular technology could, beyond doubt, prove superior to the conventional robotics. Several attempts have been taken to find an answer to this challenge inside of the modular robotics community, while reaching attempts outside are complicated by limited physical robot or design availability, construction expenses, or insufficient level of end user expertise.
Molecubes is a low cost simplified and ruggedized reconfigurable modular robotic platform that is relatively easy to assemble, manufacture, and operate for hobbyists to undertake practical research in the area of modular robotics, thus broaden our community and elicit new ideas and insights into the future of the field, and develop new applications. It proposes to use Molecubes as an expandable robotic platform and invite any new enhancements and developments that may come from the volunteer community users and developers.
It will be presented in another article for the mechanics of the robot, module interface design, the software providing visual interface for modular robotic design, simulation and control, etc.
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