Bio-inspired crawling locomotion of a multi-arm octopus-like continuum system

Abstract

This paper presents a control algorithm to achieve crawling locomotion for a multi-arm robotic system inspired by live octopuses. First the paper introduces a dynamic model of a continuum arm. The model accounts for the key features relevant to crawling locomotion, namely longitudinal muscles and suckers that provide force interaction with the surrounding environment. This single arm model is then validated against live octopus data and expanded to an 8-arm system. Appropriate coordination algorithms of the eight arms result in crawling locomotion. The results of this work can be used to study the motor control schemes for both multiple continuum arm robots and live octopuses.