Serpentine Robots for Planetary Exploration (SERPEX)

Snake robots have a strong inherent potential to move and operate robustly in challenging environments where more conventional wheeled and tracked mobile robots may fail. Such abilities are important for planetary exploration. In this report, we have investigated the feasibility of snake robots for planetary exploration. In particular, we discuss the advantages (e.g., traversability, stability, redundancy) and disadvantages (e.g., low payload/speed/energy efficiency) for snake robots in a planetary exploration context, as well as the imminent challenges (i.e., control system and mechanism development) which need to be addressed in order to realize the potential of snake robots as transport mechanisms in cluttered and challenging terrains. Moreover, we consider operational and scientific aspects of snake robots for planetary exploration, and discuss serious spin-off possibilities to terrestrial applications within, e.g., inspection and maintenance, fire-fighting, and search and rescue. Finally, we present selected concepts involving snake robots for planetary exploration, which include rover-snake robot cooperative systems. Oppdragsgiver: European Space Agency (ESA)