Fractal robots are a type of modular robot composed of small homogeneous electronic cubes that can assemble and rearrange themselves in different configurations. The cubes are embedded with chips that control their movement and can rotate and slide to move and reconfigure the robot. A fractal operating system controls the cubes and facilitates seamless integration and self-repair. Potential applications of fractal robots include bridge building, firefighting, defense, medical procedures, and space exploration due to their ability to reshape, repair themselves, and operate without human intervention. However, the technology is still in its infancy and has limitations including high costs and the need for precise controlling software.

1. P R E S E N T E D B Y :
N A V E E N S
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING,CUSAT
FRACTAL ROBOTS

2. 01 INTRODUCTION 02 FRACTAL ROBOT MECHANISM
03 MOVEMENT ALGORITHM 04 SELF REPAIR
05 APPLICATIONS 06 LIMITATIONS
INDEX
07 CONCLUSION 08 REFERENCES

3. INTRODUCTION
In the last few decades, robot research and
development has peeled off in a number of different
directions. The goal, however, is the same : "Robots
are autonomous artificial life forms that can perform
useful work". But, the paths to getting to this point are
diverse.
Robots are programmable machines .They range
from small miniature machines to large crane sized
constructions.

4. Fractal robot is a group of homogeneous electronic
cubes controlled by an operating system
FRACTAL ROBOTS
Cubes are embedded with the chips that
control their movement
The robot can be animated around its joints
in a uniform manner.

5. CONSTRUCTION
Cubes are assembled from face plates bolted
to a cube frame
Each face plates have electrical contact pads
that allow data signals to be routed from one
cube to another .
Cubes have inductive coupling to transmit
power and data signals.
Reference: http://www.irdindia.in/journal_ijtarme/pdf/vol2_iss4/20

6. Symmetrically arranged contact pads around four edges allows
rotational symmetry.
Contacts are relayed out and only transmit power .

7. Petals are pushed in and out of the slot with the with the aid of a
motor.
MOVEMENT MECHANISM
They have serrated edges and so engage
into the neighboring cube through 45
degree by a gear wheel running the
length of the slot which slides the cubes
along.

9. IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPUTER CONTROL
Cubes have a microcontroller to perform basic operations.
The largest component of the Fractal Robot system is the software
Fractal architecture dominates the functions of the core of the O.S,
the data structures, the implementation of the devices etc.

10. FRACTAL O.S
Plays a crucial role in making the integration of the system
seamless and feasible.
Uses some features to achieve these goals.
Transparent data communication
Data compression at all levels
Awareness of built in self repair.
1.
2.
3.

11. FRACTAL BUS
A Fractal bus permits Hardware and software to merge
seamlessly into one unified data structure.
It helps in sending and receiving fractally controlled data.
To reduce the flow of instructions the message is broadcast to a
local machine that controls a small no: of cubes (typically
around 100 cubes).

12. MOVEMENT ALGORITHMS
These are called as digital matter control.
There are only three basic movement algorithms.
Pick and place
N-streamers
L-streamers

13. PICK AND PLACE
Commands are issued to a collection of cubes telling each cube
where to go.
A command of "cube 517 move left by 2 positions" results in only
one cube moving in the entire machine.
Eg: When ever a shell or bomb comes the wall read just itself to
dodge them

14. N-STREAMERS
A cube is pushed out from the surface, and then another cube is
moved into the vacant position ‡
The new cube is joined to the tail of the growing rod and pushed
out again to grow the rod ‡‡
For bridge building applications, the tentacles are grown
vertically to make tall posts.

15. L-STREAMERS
L-shape of cubes numbered 4, 5, 6 are
attached to a rod numbered 1, 2, 3 
A new cube 7 is added so that the rod grows
by one cube.
Cubes 7&6 are moved till 5,6&7 forms an L
shape

16. By grouping cubes and moving them, any structure can be programmed
easily within minutes

17. Animation video courtesy:loreviaweb.blogspot.in

18. SELF REPAIR
If a part is damaged, robot rebuilds itself by shuffling the cubes around
If a walking robot has lost its leg then robot could reconfigure its structure
and resynthesize the lost features
This feature helps in space applications.

19. APPLICATIONS
1. BRIDGE BUILDING:
Bridges built as rapidly as possible for
mass transit and rapid development of
an economy
Shape changing robots are ideal for
making all manners of bridges from
small to the very largest

20. 2.FIRE FIGHTING
Fire fighting robots need to enter a
building through entrances that may be
very small.
There are times where only machines
with capabilities far beyond what we
have today are capable of rescuing a
particular situation.

21. 3.DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY
Carrying a formidable array of fractal
weapons integrated into a true multi-
terrain vehicle, making them totally lethal
to any passing war fighters, aircraft,
tanks, and armoured personnel carriers

22. 4.MEDICAL APPLICATIONS
A size 1 mm is just adequate for nearest point
of entry into the site of injury from the surface
to perform very complicated surgery to
remove cancers, cysts, blood clots and
stones.
A fractal robot system with 1 mm cubes can squirt into the human body
through a 2 mm pin hole and rebuild itself inside the body into surgical
instruments and perform the operation without having to open up the patient

23. Space is probably one of the best application
areas for fractal robots because of its
cheapness, built in self repair and 100%
automation possibilities.
Using fractal robots it is possible to build
anything from space stations to satellite
rescue vehicles without any human
intervention.
5.SPACE EXPLORATION

24. LIMITATIONS
Technology is still in infancy
Current cost is very high($1000 per cube for the 1st generation of cubes,
after which it will reduce to $100 or so).
Needs very precise & flexible controlling software.

25. CONCLUSION
It may take about 4-5 years for this technology to be introduced and
tried out all over the world. But once the first step is taken and its
advantages well understood it will not take much time for it to be
used in our everyday life.
Using Fractal Robots will help in saving economy; time etc and they
can be used even for the most sensitive tasks.
Also the raw materials needed are cheap, making it affordable for
developing nations also. This promises to revolutionize technology in
a way that has never been witnessed before.

26. Prateeksha Tiwari, Ruchika Nagarkar, Surbhi Shrivastava and Shweta Uikey, "New Era
Fractals,"IJETMR, Vol 1 ,Issue 1, February 2013- 261
Arifmohammad Attar, Loukik Kulkarni & S. G. Bhatwadekar, "Fractal Robots – Smart Future
of Manufacturing Industry," ISSN : 2319 – 3182, Volume-2, Issue-4, 2013 .
B.B. Mandelbrot, the Fractal Geometry of Nature
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REFERENCE

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