Self Configurable

Modular self-reconfiguring robotic systems are autonomous kinematic machines with variable morphology. Self-reconfiguring robots are also able to deliberately change their own shape by rearranging the connectivity of their parts in order to adapt to new circumstances or recover from damage.

Beyond conventional actuation, sensing and control typically found in fixed-morphology robots, self-reconfiguring robots are also able to deliberately change their own shape by rearranging the connectivity of their parts, in order to adapt to new circumstances, perform new tasks, or recover from damage. For example, a robot made of such components could assume a worm-like shape to move through a narrow pipe, reassemble into something with spider-like legs to cross uneven terrain, then form a third arbitrary object (like a ball or wheel that can spin itself) to move quickly over a fairly flat terrain; it can also be used for making "fixed" objects, such as walls, shelters, or buildings.