A Bio-mimetic Amphibious Soft Cord Robot

Abstract

Some living beings both on ground and in water can move by forming traveling waves along their bodies, therefore the mechanisms using the traveling waves have the amphibious possibility. Several robots have been developed using the mechanisms, but there are no amphibious robots. In this study, our goal is development of a bio-mimetic soft cord robot which can move on ground and in water. First, we took particular note of a millipede and an eel, because they are similar to point of using the traveling waves for moving, but their living environments are different; the millipede lives on the ground and the eel lives in water, and their moving principles were cleared theoretically and confirmed by computer simulation. As the result, the relations between their moving and the progressing directions of traveling waves were made clear. Second, a soft cord robot, 915 mm in length, 11 mm in width and 5 mm in height, which was based on the principles of the millipede and the eel was developed. Finally, the experiments of the robot were carried out, and they showed that the robot could move both on the ground and in water successfully. Moreover the robot could negotiate in the curve tube without special control algorithm because of its high compliance.