Active Docking Mechanism for Modular and Reconfigurable Robots

A method for docking a first vehicle module to a second vehicle module, said method comprising:

• providing the first vehicle module with omni-directional movement, whereby the first vehicle module can move in a first direction or a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
• providing the first vehicle module with a first mating adapter;
• providing the second vehicle module with a second mating adapter configured to mate with the first mating adapter;
• aligning the first mating adapter with the second mating adapter in the first direction by moving either the first vehicle module or the second vehicle module so that the first vehicle module is parallel to the second vehicle module;
• raising the first vehicle module to align the first mating adapter with the second mating adapter in a third direction;
• and
• moving the first vehicle module in the second direction toward the second vehicle module to engage the first mating adapter with the second mating adapter.