Snake-Like Robot for Rescue Operations — Proposal of a Simple Adaptive Mechanism Designed for Ease of Use

Abstract

Rescue operations are one of most effective applications for robots and various rescue robots operated by rescue staff have been developed. However, in large-scale disasters, there is a significant problem, i.e., a shortage of operators. In this paper, we consider this problem and propose a snake-like rescue robot which is designed for non-professional volunteer operators. To realize the rescue robot simply, we focus on mechanical design, and realize usability by utilizing properties of its body and the real world. Experiments have been carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed robot.