In this paper, we present Rhombot, a novel deformable planar lattice modular self-reconfigurable robot (MSRR) with a rhombus shaped module. Each module consists of a parallelogram skeleton with a single centrally mounted actuator that enables folding and unfolding along its diagonal. The core design philosophy is to achieve essential MSRR functionalities such as morphing, docking, and locomotion with minimal control complexity. This enables a continuous and stable reconfiguration process that is independent of the surrounding medium, allowing the system to reliably form various configurations in diverse environments. To leverage the unique kinematics of Rhombot, we introduce morphpivoting, a novel motion primitive for reconfiguration that differs from advanced MSRR systems, and propose a strategy for its continuous execution. Finally, a series of physical experiments validate the module's stable reconfiguration ability, as well as its positional and docking accuracy.

翻译：本文提出一种新型可变形平面晶格模块化自重构机器人（MSRR）——菱形机器人，其模块采用菱形设计。每个模块由平行四边形骨架构成，中央安装单一执行器，可沿对角线方向折叠与展开。核心设计理念是以最小控制复杂度实现MSRR的基本功能，包括形态变换、对接与运动。该设计实现了连续稳定的重构过程，且不受周围介质影响，使系统能在不同环境中可靠地形成多种构型。为充分发挥菱形机器人独特的运动学特性，我们提出一种新型重构运动基元——形态枢轴运动，该基元有别于现有高级MSRR系统，并进一步提出其连续执行策略。最后，通过系列物理实验验证了模块的稳定重构能力及其定位与对接精度。