A three-dimensional self-reconfigurable system

A three-dimensional (3D) self-reconfigurable system made of identical units is proposed. Each unit has six arms on the surface of its base cube which can connect to neighboring units mechanically. By the connection, a cubic-l attice structure is formed. A unit can carry its neighbor unit from one nod e of the lattice to another by rotating its arm by 90 degrees. Repeating th is movement, the structure can reconfigure itself to realize various 3D str uctures. The general process of reconfiguration was proposed for this syste m. A prototype system including six units was made and basic motions of sel f-reconfiguration were verified.