English

ShapeBots: Shape-changing Swarm Robots

Robotics 2019-09-10 v1 Human-Computer Interaction

Abstract

We introduce shape-changing swarm robots. A swarm of self-transformable robots can both individually and collectively change their configuration to display information, actuate objects, act as tangible controllers, visualize data, and provide physical affordances. ShapeBots is a concept prototype of shape-changing swarm robots. Each robot can change its shape by leveraging small linear actuators that are thin (2.5 cm) and highly extendable (up to 20cm) in both horizontal and vertical directions. The modular design of each actuator enables various shapes and geometries of self-transformation. We illustrate potential application scenarios and discuss how this type of interface opens up possibilities for the future of ubiquitous and distributed shape-changing interfaces.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1909.03372,
  title  = {ShapeBots: Shape-changing Swarm Robots},
  author = {Ryo Suzuki and Clement Zheng and Yasuaki Kakehi and Tom Yeh and Ellen Yi-Luen Do and Mark D. Gross and Daniel Leithinger},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1909.03372},
  year   = {2019}
}

Comments

UIST 2019

R2 v1 2026-06-23T11:08:45.650Z