Snake robot uses obstacles for propulsion

NewScientist.com news service:

A new snake-like robot can replicate a trick of real snakes, pushing off obstacles it encounters to move forwards.

A virtual double of the robot that accurately predicts its real life behaviour has also been developed, something not achieved for a realistic snake robot before

Researchers have been working on snake-inspired robots for decades, but they usually have wheels or treads on their body to help them move. These make it easier for a snake robot to slither forward, by converting its writhing motion into a forward slide.

But that approach works best on smooth surfaces. "In a collapsed building where there's a lot of rubble, for example after an earthquake, a wheeled snake would probably get stuck," says Aksel Transeth of Norwegian research organization SINTEF in Trondheim.
Look, no wheels

A more versatile snake robot would move in a truly snaky way, pushing off of obstacles, such as rocks, that it encounters, Transeth argues. Along with colleagues at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, also in Trondheim, he developed a wheelless snake robot that can do just that...

Link to the full article: NewScientist

Link to the related IEEE Paper

... and finally a video