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This paper introduces a contact-driven localization method for modular robots that utilizes binary contact information to determine relative positions in self-reconfigurable systems. By employing a virtual-force framework, robots iteratively adjust their poses based on connections with neighboring robots, eliminating the need for external tracking systems or expensive sensors. The results from simulations demonstrate that this approach enables effective localization during the assembly of complex structures, significantly enhancing scalability and adaptability in unstructured environments.
Robots can now accurately localize themselves in freeform structures using only contact information, eliminating the need for costly external tracking systems.
Accurate localization remains a key challenge in swarm robotics, particularly for self-reconfigurable systems that must identify relative positions to form diverse structures. Most existing approaches rely on external tracking infrastructure or high-cost sensors, which limit scalability and deployment in unstructured environments. In this paper, we propose a novel contact-driven localization method for modular robots that leverages only local communication through binary contact information (whether two robots are physically connected or not). To exploit these contact cues, we introduce a virtual-force framework in which robots iteratively refine their poses attracting toward dock-connected neighbors and repelling from non-connected ones. The method requires no external infrastructure and relies only on minimal onboard sensing. Simulations show effective localization during the assembly of towers and cantilevers, enabling accurate, scalable, free-form self-assembly.
