Parallax-Docking and Reconfiguration of Field Programmable Robot Arrays Using an Intermittently-Powered One-Hot Controller

Abstract

Field Programmable Robot Arrays (FPRAs) are micro-robots with onboard reconfigurable logic. We assume MEMS-based micro-robots like those developed by Donald et al. [2] as a foundation to build FPRAs. We present architecture of the FPRA which has the following components: MEMS Scratch-Drive- Actuator (SDA) micro-robot, LEDs with matching photo sensors, electrical docking ports and onboard programmable logic array of a new kind called Field Programmable One-Hot Arrays (FPOHAs). SDAs need an intermittent power supply. We present a hardware solution to powering the FPOHA (from the intermittent supply to the FPRA) and a parallax algorithm which is used to achieve docking of robot arrays, after which the FPOHA may be retasked.