Abstract: A reconfigurable modular planetary robot system consists of the parent body and multiple child-robot modules. A single module can independently perform locomotion and manipulation, and multiple ones can mutually combine and reconfigure to different configurations. The module applying the mechanism with asymmetric wheel-manipulator possesses the orientation of pose and the direction of motion. The aim of the robot reconfiguration is to generate better configuration with respect to the directional locomotion adapting to environment. Based on the above reasons, vector configuration is presented, which introduces the motion direction and the orientation into the topology of the configuration. Based on the vector model, state configuration vector (SCV) and state configuration matrix (SCM) are presented and constructed for representing the asymmetric module and its whole configuration, supporting the mathematical transformation for triggering the foundational action of the module and reconfiguration of the configuration. The optimization algorithm for analysis of the combination reconfiguration of discrete modules is proposed and evaluated through computer simulation by an example.

Key words: Asymmetric wheel-manipulator module, Reconfigurable modular planetary robot, State configuration matrix, State configuration vector, Vector configuration