US 12,110,131 B2
Methods and apparatus for autonomous 3D self-assembly, spatial docking and reconfiguration
Ariel Ekblaw, Cambridge, MA (US); and Joseph A. Paradiso, Medford, MA (US)
Assigned to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US)
Filed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US)
Filed on Feb. 2, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/591,234.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/145,418, filed on Feb. 3, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0242594 A1, Aug. 4, 2022
Int. Cl. B64G 1/22 (2006.01); G01R 33/038 (2006.01)
CPC B64G 1/22 (2013.01) [G01R 33/0385 (2013.01)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tile, comprising:
a shell having a first geometrical shape;
an arrangement of first magnets supported by the shell;
a controller, within the shell, configured to control operation of the arrangement of first magnets to assemble the shell with at least one other tile in a microgravity environment, wherein the arrangement of first magnets is controlled to mate with a complementary arrangement of second magnets on the at least one other tile when the complementary arrangement of second magnets is within a range of a magnetic attractive force of the arrangement of first magnets; and
an alignment guide, having at least one of a protrusion and a recess, and configured to create an offset between a side surface of the shell and a side surface of a shell of the at least one other tile in response to an improper assembly of the tile and the at least one other tile.