Autonomous flexible snake robot for 3D motion

Abstract

As a high redundancy system with high flexibility, disaster rescue robot is a demand for search and rescue inside collapsed buildings. A smart material actuated autonomous flexible snake robot is developed in this paper that is able to perform 3D (degree) motion. Real snake flexibility can be realized from 3D motion of the proposed flexible snake robot. The modelling of n-link snake robot is discussed first and then verified experimentally. Online gait generation is done using Central pattern generator (CPG) control system for autonomous navigation of the snake robot. The illustration of the robot modelling has been performed both theoretically and experimentally. The CPG-based online gait generation method allows continuous motion.