Models for peristaltic locomotion in soft robots and worms

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).