Exploring adaptive locomotion with YaMoR, a novel autonomous modular robot with Bluetooth interface

Purpose – this paper aims to present a novel modular robot that provides a flexible framework for exploring adaptive locomotion.design/methodology/approach – a new modular robot is presented called yamor (for “yet another modular robot”). Each yamor module contains an fpga and a microcontroller supporting a wide range of control strategies and high computational power. The bluetooth interface included in each yamor module allows wireless communication between the modules and controlling the robot from a pc. A control software called bluemove was developed and implemented that allows easy testing of the capabilities for locomotion of a large variety of robot configurations.findings – with the help of the control software called bluemove, different configurations of the yamor modules were tested like a wheel, caterpillar or configurations with limbs and their capabilities for locomotion.originality/value – this paper demonstrates that modular robots can act as a powerful framework for exploring locomotion of a large variety of different types of robots. Although present research is limited to exploring locomotion, yamor modules are designed to be general purpose and support a variety of applications.