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Engineering observation of lateral undulation in colubrid snakes for wheel-less locomotion

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 December 2011

Farshad Barazandeh ,
Hossein Rahnamafard ,
Mehdi Rajabizadeh  and
Hossein Faraji
Farshad Barazandeh*
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Hafez Ave., Tehran, Iran
Hossein Rahnamafard
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Azad University of Ghazvin, Daneshgah Street, Ghazvin, Iran
Mehdi Rajabizadeh
Affiliation:
Department of Biodiversity, Institute of Environmental Science, International Center for Science, High Technology & Environmental Science, Kerman, Iran
Hossein Faraji
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Islamic Azad University of Khomeini Shahr, Esfahan, Iran
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: fbarazandeh@aut.ac.ir
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Summary

Nature has always inspired engineers. This research tries to understand the contribution of snake anatomy in its locomotion from engineering point of view to be adopted in the design of snake robots. Rib design and muscular structure of snake robots will have a great impact on snake robot flexibility, weight, and actuators' torque. It will help to eliminate wheels in snake robots during serpentine locomotion. The result of this research shows that snakes can establish the required peg points on smooth surfaces by deflecting the body and ribs. The results are verified by both field observations and simulation.

Keywords

Design enhancementLateral undulationSnake anatomySnake robotSimulationVertebra designSnake movementWheel-less locomotion

Information

Type
Articles
Information
Robotica , Volume 30 , Issue 7 , December 2012 , pp. 1079 - 1093
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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