A mobile, spherical robot includes a spheroid shell, an internal assembly secured to the shell, and a head disposed atop the shell. The internal assembly is disposed within the shell for propelling the mobile robot. The internal assembly includes a base, a weight-shifting steer mechanism secured to the base, and a drive assembly rotatably secured to the spheroid shell, and a pivoting arm secured to the base. The drive systems propels the mobile robot by rotating the spheroid shell about the base. The head is secured to the magnetized end of the pivoting arm through the spheroid shell. The weight-shifting steer mechanism shifts a ballast weight so as to move the center of gravity and inducing a turn.

A mobile, spherical robot includes a spheroid shell, an internal assembly secured to the shell, and a head disposed atop the shell. The internal assembly is disposed within the shell for propelling the mobile robot. The internal assembly includes a base, a flywheel assembly rotatably secured to the base, a drive assembly rotatably secured to the spheroid shell and configured to propel the mobile robot by rotating the spheroid shell about the base a pivoting arm pivotably secured to the base, and the pivoting arm. The head is secured to the magnetized end of the pivoting arm through the spheroid shell. The head is configured to move relative to the spheroid shell and relative to the base by the pivoting of the pivoting arm.

A self-propelled device includes a spherical housing and an internal drive system. The self-propelled device can further include an internal structure having a magnet holder that holds a first set of magnets and an external accessory comprising a second set of magnets to magnetically interact, through the spherical housing, with the first set magnets.

A self-propelled device determines an orientation for its movement based on a pre-determined reference frame. A controller device is operable by a user to control the self-propelled device. The controller device includes a user interface for controlling at least a direction of movement of the self-propelled device. The self-propelled device is configured to signal the controller device information that indicates the orientation of the self-propelled device. The controller device is configured to orient the user interface, based on the information signaled from the self-propelled device, to reflect the orientation of the self-propelled device.

A self-propelled device includes a drive system, a wireless communication port, a memory and a processor. The memory stores a first set of instructions for mapping individual inputs from a first set of recognizable inputs to a corresponding command that controls movement of the self-propelled device. The processor (or processors) receive one or more inputs from the controller device over the wireless communication port, map each of the one or more inputs to a command based on the set of instructions, and control the drive system using the command determined for each of the one or more inputs. While the drive system is controlled, the processor processes one or more instructions to after the set of recognizable inputs and/or the corresponding command that is mapped to the individual inputs in the set of recognizable inputs.

A method for updating firmware on a control module of a modular assembly system is provided. Information related to noise sampled from the control module is obtained. A first encryption key is calculated based on the information. Firmware to be updated on the control module is received from a host of the modular assembly system. The firmware is encrypted based on at least a second encryption key. In response to determining that the received firmware can be decrypted, the decrypted firmware is loaded into the control module. At least one of the obtaining, calculating, receiving, determining, and loading is performed by the control module.

A connection structure includes two connection interfaces and a connector. Each connection interface includes planar contacts arranged at a center and one or more concentric rings on a circuit board and first lock mechanisms arranged on a first casing. The connector includes a second casing including two open ends and second lock mechanisms arranged on the second casing and pins. Each pin includes two ends each exposed by one of the two open ends of the second casing, respectively. When the connector is plugged into the two connection interfaces at orientations relative to one another, the pins of the connector are in contact with the planar contacts of each connection interface so that the two connection interfaces are electrically connected, and the second lock mechanisms of the connector are interlocked with the first lock mechanisms of each connection interface so that the two connection interfaces are mechanically connected.

A method for providing host instructions to a control module of a modular assembly system is provided. A graphical programming environment including sets of first and second graphical representations is presented to a user. Each first graphical representation corresponds to a statement block comprising a parameter. Each second graphical representation corresponds to one of assembly modules associated with a property. A user is facilitated to select at least one of the first graphical representations and provide values to the parameter of each selected first graphical representation. The user is facilitated to provide values to the property of one or more of the second graphical representations. Based on at least the selected first and second graphical representations and the provided values thereof, a set of host instructions are generated. The set of host instructions are transmitted to the control module for controlling operation of the assembly modules.

A system includes multiple assembly modules and one or more connectors. Each assembly module includes at least one connection interface, and each connector includes two open ends adapted to fitting into the connection interfaces of the two assembly modules, respectively. Each connector is configured to mechanically and electrically connect two of the assembly modules via the respective connection interfaces of the two assembly modules. The assembly modules include at least a control module having a communication unit and a processor. The communication unit is configured to obtain a set of host instructions from one or more hosts. The processor is configured to generate a set of operation instructions for each assembly module based on at least the set of host instructions.

A multi-body self-propelled device can include a drive body and a coupled head. The drive body can include a spherical housing and an internal drive system within the spherical housing to propel the multi-body self-propelled device. The drive body can further include a magnet holder coupled to the internal drive system to hold a first set of magnetic elements. The coupled head can include a base plate to hold a second set of magnetic elements to create a magnetic interaction with the first set of magnetic elements through the spherical housing. The coupled head can further include a housing structure and a yaw motor that rotates the housing structure independently in relation to the base plate and the drive body.