Docking joint for autonomous self-assembly

Automatic docking between separate parts is a fundamental challenge that arises in engineering systems which autonomously change their structures. This ability enables free bodies in the same environment to join together in order to complete a task that would otherwise not be achievable with the independent modules. Docking capability is highly desirable in applications such as self-reconfigurable robots, autonomous undersea vehicles, and automated recharging of security robots. The major problem for this task is to overcome alignment errors and ensure a firm connection. We have developed a mechanism to overcome this challenging problem. This paper focuses on the design details of our proposed docking joint and presents the results of finite element analysis (FEA) on the joint as well as experimental results. Our final goal is to develop an autonomous multi-rove robot. In this concept, a number of independent mobile robots can self-assemble into a single modular robot.