Modeling control of a snake robot with switching constraints

This paper describes modeling and control of a snake robot which can switch grounded parts dynamically. A snake lifts up some parts of its body and dynamically switches grounded parts during locomotion, for example, sinus-lifting and sidewinding motion. We model the lifting up 3D motion of the snake as a switching constraints system in 2D motion and propose the control strategy for the trajectory tracking with switching conditions for the static stability. Simulations show that the decrease of the input norm is accomplished by switching constraints.