Concept

Abstract

This chapter presents the core concept that is conceived to address the issues related to self-sufficiency of a modular robotic organism. In the beginning it presents the open issues at a modular robotic organism from the perspective of self-sufficiency. To model the self-sufficient behavior of a modular robotic organism, firstly, the energetic modes of a self-sufficient robotic module are defined using a finite state machine. On the basis of energetics of a robotic module, the behavior model of a self-sufficient robotic module in a robot swarm is then defined. By combining the individual behavior of self-sufficient robotic modules it then defines the self-sufficient behavior of a modular robotic organism. The chapter then presents the concept of dynamic power management in a modular robotic organism. In this regard, getting inspiration from the homeostasis phenomenon found in biological systems, it introduces a novel concept of artificial energy homeostasis to achieve self-sufficiency at a modular robotic organism level.