Design and Control of Modular Magnetic Millirobots for Multimodal Locomotion and Shape Reconfiguration

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2602.19346v1
• Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2026 21:25:05 GMT
• Title: Design and Control of Modular Magnetic Millirobots for Multimodal Locomotion and Shape Reconfiguration
• Abstract summary: We present a modular magnetic millirobotic platform for on-demand assembly and disassembly.<n>A free module supports self-assembly and reconfiguration, a fixed module enables flip-and-walk locomotion, and a gripper module for cargo manipulation.<n>The system achieves self-assembly, multimodal transformations, and disassembly at low field strengths.
• Score: 5.7788762754943654
• License: http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/
• Abstract: Modular small-scale robots offer the potential for on-demand assembly and disassembly, enabling task-specific adaptation in dynamic and constrained environments. However, existing modular magnetic platforms often depend on workspace collisions for reconfiguration, employ bulky three-dimensional electromagnetic systems, and lack robust single-module control, which limits their applicability in biomedical settings. In this work, we present a modular magnetic millirobotic platform comprising three cube-shaped modules with embedded permanent magnets, each designed for a distinct functional role: a free module that supports self-assembly and reconfiguration, a fixed module that enables flip-and-walk locomotion, and a gripper module for cargo manipulation. Locomotion and reconfiguration are actuated by programmable combinations of time-varying two-dimensional uniform and gradient magnetic field inputs. Experiments demonstrate closed-loop navigation using real-time vision feedback and A* path planning, establishing robust single-module control capabilities. Beyond locomotion, the system achieves self-assembly, multimodal transformations, and disassembly at low field strengths. Chain-to-gripper transformations succeeded in 90% of trials, while chain-to-square transformations were less consistent, underscoring the role of module geometry in reconfiguration reliability. These results establish a versatile modular robotic platform capable of multimodal behavior and robust control, suggesting a promising pathway toward scalable and adaptive task execution in confined environments.

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