Frictional Driving Mechanism Based on Wave Propagation (2nd Report, Model of Earthworm-like Structure Considering Deformation of the Body)

Earthworm move on the complex uneven ground by its own peristalsis. Therefore, earthwormlike structure can be applied to a mobile robot which moves autonomously in a narrow pipe or on an irregular ground. In this study we propose a simple two-dimentional link model consists of flexible bar elementswe capable of calculating the locomotion pattern of the soft creatures including an earthworm. Calculated locomotion pattern of the earthworm-like structure is similar to the measured ones. It is found that the earthworm-like structure can move at a constant speed on the plane ground when fiction coefficient is large enough. It is also found that the earthworm can move even when there is a projection or several segments are broken down.