6 Snake-like locomotion Experimentations with a biologically inspired wheel-less snake robot.pdf

Mechanism and Machine Theory 44 (2009) 591–602
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Mechanism and Machine Theory
journal homepage: ate/mechmt
Snake-like otion: Experimentations with a biologically inspired
wheel-less snake robot
. Bayraktaroglu *
Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering MA1, Gumussuyu, 34437 Istanbul, Turkey
article info abstract
Article history: This paper presents the results of an experimental study on limbless snake-like o-
Received 8 October 2007 tion. The experimental plate-form consists of a 9-DOF wheel-less snake-like robot and
Received in revised form 26 August 2008 an appropriate artificial environment. The wheel-less snake-like mechanism has a planar
Accepted 27 August 2008
structure and is mainly dedicated to move through lateral undulation, the mon
Available online 5 October 2008
limbless otion type observed in natural snakes. The mechanical design, trajectory
generation and control method have been biologically inspired. With the closed-loop con-
Keywords:
trol, the artificial mechanism has eeded in applying the natural principles of lateral
Limbless otion
undulation in an autonomous manner excepting for the power supply. Another limbless
Lateral undulation
Wheel-less snake-like robot otion type has also been experimented with the same mechanism.
Biologically inspired methods Ó 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
1. Introduction
Limbless otion has recently motivated the construction of a number of mobile robot prototypes taking advantage of
the physical phenomena observed particularly in natural snake otion. Biological inspiration in order to design animal-
like robot mechanisms necessitates an interdisciplinary approach to the problem between biological sciences and engineer-
ing disciplines. Research in the context of biological sciences on terrestrial limbless otion relies especially upon the
observation of natural animal behavior and anatomical studies, providi