Snake robots. Modelling, mechatronics, and control. (Q430526)

Snake robots are robotic mechanisms designed to move like biological snakes. Such kind of mechanisms are able to move and operate in challenging environments where human presence is unwanted or impossible. In spite of the fact, that the world's first snake robot is developed in Japan in 1972 and many theoretical and experimental results are obtained in the area of modeling and control of snake robots, there are many aspects of snake robot locomotion which have not yet been addressed to the snake robot literature. After a nice introductory chapter that among other topics, considers biological snake motion, the monograph in structured in two parts. Part I (Chaps. 2--8) investigates and reports problems of modeling, technology, and control for snake robot locomotion in a planar (flat) environment. Part II (Chaps. 9--13) is devoted to snake robot locomotion in cluttered environment. The concept of obstacle-aided locomotion is introduced and explored in this part. The monograph presents also the author's own research and development in the field, which cover the full spectrum of mathematical modeling control design simulation studies and experimental demonstrator prototypes. After a concluding chapter about future research challenges of snake robot locomotion, the monograph closes with three technical appendices, a glossary, references and index. It is evident that the intended audience for the present book consists of graduate students, Ph.D. students and scientists with an interest in robotics and control, specially in control and technology of snake robots or underactuated systems in general.