# usBot: A Modular Robotic Testbed for Programmable Self-Assembly

## TL;DR

usBot is a modular robotic testbed combining deterministic and stochastic self-assembly features, using accessible components and solid-state actuation to enable autonomous, programmable self-assembly in two dimensions, advancing the development of universal self-assembly platforms.

## Contribution

This work introduces usBot, a novel modular robotic system that integrates deterministic and stochastic self-assembly models using accessible, solid-state components for autonomous programmable self-assembly.

## Key findings

- Demonstrates autonomous stochastic self-assembly in 2D
- Emulates performance of existing modular systems
- Uses accessible, solid-state actuation platform

## Abstract

We present the design, characterization, and experimental results for a new modular robotic system for programmable self-assembly. The proposed system uses the Hybrid Cube Model (HCM), which integrates classical features from both deterministic and stochastic self-organization models. Thus, for instance, the modules are passive as far as their locomotion is concerned (stochastic), and yet they possess an active undocking routine (deterministic). The robots are constructed entirely from readily accessible components and unlike many existing robots, their excitation is not fluid mediated. Instead, the actuation setup is a solid state, independently programmable and highly portable platform. The system is capable of demonstrating fully autonomous and distributed stochastic self-assembly in two dimensions. It is shown to emulate the performance of several existing modular systems and promises to be a substantial effort towards developing a universal testbed for programmable self-assembly.