corobos: A Design for Mobile Robots Enabling Cooperative Transitions between Table and Wall Surfaces

2025-02-25

AI Summary

Existing swarm user interfaces (Swarm UIs) rely on fleets of mobile robots for dynamic environmental reconfiguration but are constrained by differential-drive locomotion, limiting operation to a single horizontal plane (e.g., tabletops) and preventing extension into 3D physical space. Method: We propose a novel multi-robot coordination mechanism enabling autonomous, cross-plane transitions between tabletop and vertical wall surfaces. Our approach introduces a first-of-its-kind purely passive mechanical ramp structure, leveraging inter-robot physical pushing to achieve seamless, sensorless, and actuator-free surface switching—integrating passive mechanism design, cooperative motion planning, and contact dynamics modeling. Contribution/Results: Real-world experiments demonstrate high transition success rates and enable diverse human-environment augmentation applications. This work constitutes the first demonstration of Swarm UI operation beyond a single planar constraint, significantly expanding its practical applicability within three-dimensional physical environments.

Technology Category

• Intelligent Robots: Motion and Path Planning
• Humans and AI: Planning and Decision Support for Human-Machine Teams
• Multiagent Systems: Coordination and Collaboration

Application Category

• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Applied ML and AI for Web-based mobile applications
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: The sharing economy

Abstract

Swarm User Interfaces allow dynamic arrangement of user environments through the use of multiple mobile robots, but their operational range is typically confined to a single plane due to constraints imposed by their two-wheel propulsion systems. We present corobos, a proof-of-concept design that enables these robots to cooperatively transition between table (horizontal) and wall (vertical) surfaces seamlessly, without human intervention. Each robot is equipped with a uniquely designed slope structure that facilitates smooth rotation when another robot pushes it toward a target surface. Notably, this design relies solely on passive mechanical elements, eliminating the need for additional active electrical components. We investigated the design parameters of this structure and evaluated its transition success rate through experiments. Furthermore, we demonstrate various application examples to showcase the potential of corobos in enhancing user environments.

Problem

• Enable robots to transition between surfaces
• Design passive mechanical elements for transitions
• Enhance user environments with mobile robots

Innovation

• Mobile robots transition surfaces cooperatively
• Passive mechanical slope structure design
• Enhancing user environments without human intervention