Snake robots have an interesting ability to traverse uneven terrain, or confined spaces by adapting to the surfaces unlike any other form of robot. I wanted to understand if snake robots can be built in a new way to avoid problems conventional snake robots usually face. With this project, I strived to achieve a small step towards building a better snake robot.

The basic design is modular, and all the “modules” are essentially meant to be identical. I chose a hexagonal cross-section to allow for a balance between rolling and stability. I experimented with different angles for the axis of rotation and settled on a 60-degree rotation; this allows the robot to turn itself tighter possibly giving a better grip for use cases like tree climbing.

This is at an early POC stage since I am still trying to understand how the benefits of a different design like this might outweigh the drawbacks. Next steps – Motion control simulations, mobility tests

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