Investigating the dynamic influence of passive effects on undulatory locomotion in viscous environment and unleashing the potential of hybrid friction

Abstract

This study encompasses the passive interdependence of body material (internal damping, stiffness, and geometry) and environmental (frictional anisotropy and frictional coefficients) properties on the performance and adaptability of undulatory locomotion. Undulatory locomotion is modeled in viscous and hybrid environments. The body’s ability to adapt passively results in different locomotion gaits, such as swimming and crawling. Results show that, in swimming gaits, body stiffness dominates frictional forces, whereas in crawling gaits, frictional forces dominate body stiffness. Our result showed that the interdependence between endogenous and exogenous dynamics can be utilized to achieve the desired speed. The hybrid frictional environment is modeled as the combination of dry and viscous frictions and recognized as a valuable asset in the modeling of undulatory locomotion in granular media. In the hybrid environment the respective ratios of dry and viscous frictions play an essential role in the speed optimization. The optimal combination of dry and viscous frictions can be found depending on the characteristics of the body and environment. We validate the viscous based frictional model using the properties of the body of Caenorhabditis Elegans from the state of the art, in a viscous environment. The results can be employed to design robotic solutions to perform optimally in different environments and with customized body properties.