Design of Haptic Sensing Snake Robot

Snake robots, a category of bionic robots, have garnered significant interest due to their capacity to adapt autonomously to complex unstructured environments. This is achieved through the flexibility and versatility of their bodies and gaits, as well as the coordinated movements of their bodies. However, in unknown or complex environments with obstacles, snake robots are unable to plan their next locomotor actions based solely on the sensory information obtained from the camera they carry. The incorporation of haptics is anticipated to facilitate the snake robot's perception of the interaction between its body and the external environment, thereby enabling more precise and effective guidance for efficient movement. This paper presents the design of a flexible tactile sensor based on the principle of photoconductivity, which has been developed to enable a snake robot to perceive and interact with its environment through tactile sensing. The sensor is intended to enhance the robot's autonomous movement capabilities in complex environments where visual recognition or human observation alone is insufficient.