Brief Introduction

In an effort to relieve the burden of time consuming activities, a versatile robot is required to follow in man's footsteps. Commonly, robotic vehicles use a wheel and axle propulsion system, but this is often debilitating when traveling on variable terrain. For instance, wheel-based propulsion system must be specifically designed to ascend steps. It is virtually impossible for them to climb ladders. Successful propulsion systems are often similar to motion methods of animals. Legs are the most common method but are difficult and inefficient to reproduce mechanically. The more simple and often overlooked sinusoidal motion of a snake is a less obvious solution, but has tremendous advantages when navigating variable terrain. Snakes can use their entire body for propulsion, creating a larger surface area and providing greater traction. Their low center of gravity creates stability, lacking in legged and wheeled systems. The body structure can also be modeled as a series of independently controlled joints, each having many degrees of freedom. These freedoms allow the snake to raise body sections over obstacles and to create leverage for itself. Using leverage, the snake could elevate above or onto a step or obstruction, a feat that would be difficult if not impossible using wheeled propulsion. In order to acquire these advantages, a snake-like robot that resembles and behaves like a real snake will be presented. This robot will be the first step towards creating a versatile platform that will be capable of traversing variable terrain like humans.