Frictional driving mechanism based on wave propagation: (3rd report, relationship among structure, environment and locomotive pattern of soft creatures)

Soft body creatures including earthworm, caterpillar and inchworm have their own locomotion pattern. They have common features as simple continuous segmental structure of their body and locomotion pattern in cooperation with partial motion of their body propagating waves. In this research, the influence of the structural feature of the soft-body creatures and the environmental conditions on its locomotion pattern are analyzed using genetic argorithms. As a result of the analysis, it is proved that the antagonistic muscle system of the soft body creatures that consists of hydraulic framework urges its emergent acquisition of locomotion pattern by propagating the waves. It is also proved that the strength of materials of their body, power mass ratio and environmental conditions affect the difference in their locomotion pattern. The acquired locomotion patterns correspond well with these of the earthworm, caterpillar and inchworm.