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Models for peristaltic locomotion in soft robots and worms

Submitted by oliver oreilly on
research

Dear Colleague,

I'm pleased to announce the latest paper from my research group (coauthored with Evan Hemingway (PhD 2020)): 

Continuous models for peristaltic locomotion with application to worms and soft robots

has just been published in Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology. Here's a simulation of the model:

@UCBDynamicsLab

In the paper, a rod based model is developed that can be used to model peristaltic locomotion in worms and soft robots. The model is based on Green and Naghdi's rod theory [1] and is sufficiently sophisticated that it can capture the hydrostatic skeleton of a worm.  The model is calibrated with a remarkable pair of papers [2,3] on peristalsis by Kim Quillin and then used to simulate persistaltic locomotion of a worm. A companion model is also used to simulate the locomotion of a soft robot.

 

  1. Green, A.E., Naghdi, P.M., Wenner, M.L.: On the theory of rods. II Developments by direct approach. Proceedings of the Royal Society. London. Series A. Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences 337(1611), 485--507 (1974).

  2. Quillin, K.J.: Ontogenetic scaling of hydrostatic skeletons: geometric, static  stress and dynamic stress scaling of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris. Journal of Experimental Biology 201(12), 1871--1883 (1998).

  3.  Quillin, K.J.: Kinematic scaling of locomotion by hydrostatic animals: ontogeny  of peristaltic crawling by the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris. Journal of Experimental Biology 202(6), 661--674 (1999).