Robotics: Polygon Robot Inspired by Origami Can Transform To Aid Space Travel

Robotics have continuously improved. According to reports, its recent innovation is a shapeshifting robot for space travel.

Robotics for Space: Meet Polygon Robot Mori3

Mori3 is a robot created by researchers at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland that can transform into almost any 3D object. The design is modular, according to the authors, allowing astronauts to utilize it for a variety of needs during space travel, The Daily Beast reported.

Jamie Paik, head of the EPFL's Reconfigurable Robotics Lab and a co-author of the study, said that the goal of Mori3 is to develop a modular, origami-like robot that can be assembled and disassembled as needed depending on the surroundings and work at hand. Mori3 can alter its dimensions, appearance, and purpose.

The robot itself has a triangle-like form. It can, however, be shaped any way you need it to be when joined with other Mori3s. Consider the polygons that are utilized in video game graphics to generate shapes. It can transform into whatever form you need it to be.

This implies that the robot can manipulate objects, engage with its surroundings, and move. Christoph Belke, a paper co-author and a robotics researcher at EPFL, emphasized that they had to reconsider how we conceptualize robots. These robots can change their shapes, joining, interacting, and reconfiguring themselves to create movable, articulated structures.

According to the authors, the Mori3 is designed to be more of a general-purpose robot. It can adapt to any task that might be required on a spacecraft. Future astronauts may find this adaptability very useful as they deal with any problems arising during an interplanetary journey, from external repairs in the vacuum of space to internal transportation.

The team published the paper in the journal Nature Machine Intelligence Monday.

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Why Is a Polygon Robot Designed for Space?

As mentioned, the Mori3 robot's modules are triangular in design. The technique of polygon meshing, which involves joining the modules together to form polygons of various sizes and configurations, is simple. According to Belke, they have demonstrated the viability of polygon meshing as a robotic method. To do this, the team had to push the boundaries of mechanical and electronic design, computer systems, and engineering.

These robots can change shapes, join, interact, and reconfigure to create movable, articulated structures. Because Mori3 robots are adept at moving around, handling and transporting objects, and interacting with people, these proof-of-concept experiments are successful.

What benefit does building versatile, modular robots offer? According to Paik, Robots must be able to alter their shape or configuration to carry out various duties. According to the author, applications for polygonal and polymorphic robots that connect to form articulated structures are numerous. Of course, a general-purpose robot like Mori3 will perform in some situations less efficiently than robots with specific abilities, but Mori3's versatility is its main selling feature.

The Mori3 robots were created partly for usage in spaceships, which lack the storage space to house many robots for each specific activity that needs to be completed. The researchers anticipate using Mori3 robots for external repairs and communication purposes.