Snake Robots

Howie Choset, Robotics Institute

We are developing a family of snake robots to thread through tightly packed volumes to access locations that people and machinery otherwise cannot. These robots look like snakes, hence their name. My group has worked with many undergraduates in the past, and we have done several field trials including search and rescue training, power plant inspection, and surgery.

Topic 1A: Design of Locomoting Snake Robots 

The mechanical design of these robots offer many challenges primarily due to a desired small size and many degrees of freedom. We are currently looking to design a locomoting snake robot with a smaller cross sectional area to get into even tighter spaces. Other design projects include developing manipulators to grasp objects and devices to manage a long tether. Students will work with our engineers and graduate students to produce a novel design and implement it.

Topic 1B: Gait programming

The snake robots have the potential to locomote in a variety of terrains due to its many degrees of freedom. This also presents an incredible challenge: how to program the controllers, often called gaits, to coordinate the internal degrees of freedom of the robot to produce desired motions. Students will work with graduate students to further gait theory. In particular, two approaches are underway: looking at the fundamental mechanics, starting with dynamic equations of motion, to derive new gaits and the other employs techniques in machine learning to create optimal controllers. Currently, we are seeking new ideas to incorporate feedback into the gaits. C/C++ necessary, Python GUI, and application experience a plus.

Topic 1C: Architecture

We have developed a custom low-level electrical and computer architecture to control the robot and its peripherals. We are interested in placing new sensors on board the robot, to both improve robot locomotion and create a situational awareness of users in remote locations. Students will work with other undergraduates in my lab on this project. C/C++ necessary, Python GUI, and application experience a plus.

Topic 1D: Bioinspiration and Reverse Illumination

We are working with biologists to both further derive more inspiration on how to maneuver a snake robot, but perhaps more provocatively, use our understanding of robotic locomotion to inform biologists how their mechanism operation. Students will work with well-known biologists at the Carnegie Museum.

Topic 1E: Status Database

Develop a database to track/maintain status of individual modules and components, log errors/repairs, and correlate video/datalogs. Working knowledge
of SQL and web interface design necessary, Android OS application development a plus.

Topic 1F: Communication Interface

We are in the process of making our inter-module communication protocol more flexible and easy to use. Some desired features include automatic
updating of module firmware, an easy to use graphical diagnostic interface, and automatic module discovery. C/C++ and Python experience necessary, experience with serial communication protocols (UART, RS485, SPI) a plus.