Modelling, Design and Kinematic Control Strategies for Snake-like Robot locomotion – A Review

International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VIII, Issue II, February 2021 | ISSN 2321–2705

Modelling, Design and Kinematic Control Strategies for Snake-like Robot locomotion – A Review

T. O. Ayogu & O. O. Obe
Department of Computer Science, The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria.

Abstract: Research on the development of robots that mimic biological snakes has been a major trend in the past few years. This work reviews the major research efforts and contributions to snake-like robots focusing on previous research efforts on snake-like robots modelling techniques, snake-like robots physical design, the kinematic and morphological control strategies for snake-like robot locomotion and practical applications of snake-like robots. The possibility of designing locomotion control model based on Reinforcement learning for snake-like robot was also investigated. The reviewed literatures revealed that even though more research works have considered snake-like robot locomotion on environments without obstacles or lab environments, there is now a growing interest in designing and developing snake-like robots for locomotion in environments with obstacles and that could be used in real life applications rather than in the lab environment. The review also shows that application of Reinforcement Learning method in designing control model for snake-like robot locomotion rather than the traditional and conventional control methods proposed by majority of the literatures on snake-like robots is attracting a lot of research interest.

Keywords: Biological snake, snake-like robot, design, modelling, control, kinematics, Reinforcement learning.

I. INTRODUCTION

Biological snakes are astounding creatures and are optimal when on motion and their physical characteristics allow them to adapt to a wide range of natural environment. Grey who carried out early analytical and empirical study on biological snake identified four types of locomotion gaits that biological snake can exihibit at any point in time. This locomotion gaits include serpentine or lateral undulation, rectilinear, concentina and sidewinding locomotion [1]. The serpentine or lateral undulation is used by snakes for locomotion on flat surfaces and it is a very efficient

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