This paper deals with the design of a robotic snake, its assembly, simulation using CoppeliaSim, and the testing of various methods for the control of robotic snakes (Serpentinoid, CPG). For individual control methods, the influence of selected parameters on the signals controlling the motorized joints of the robotic snake is observed, and their influence on the speed and energy consumption of the given mechanism is described.

This thesis proposes a general and unified methodological framework suitable for studying the locomotion of a wide range of robots, especially bio-inspired. The objective of this thesis is twofold. First, it contributes to the classification of locomotion robots by adopting the mathematical tools developed by the American school of geometric mechanics.Secondly, by taking advantage of the recursive nature of the Newton-Euler formulation, it proposes numerous efficient tools in the form of computational algorithms capable of solving the external direct dynamics and the internal inverse dynamics of any locomotion robot considered as a mobile multi-body system. These generic tools can help the engineers or researchers in the design, control and motion planning of manipulators as well as locomotion robots with a large number of internal degrees of freedom. The efficient algorithms are proposed for discrete and continuous robots. These methodological tools are applied to numerous illustrative examples taken from the bio-inspired robotics such as snake-like robots, caterpillars, and others like snake-board, etc.

Snakes are one of the world’s most versatile organisms, at ease slithering through rubble or climbing vertical tree trunks. Their adaptations for conquering complex terrain thus serve naturally as inspirations for search and rescue robotics. In a combined experimental and theoretical investigation, we elucidate the propulsion mechanisms of snakes on both hard and granular substrates. The focus of this study is on physics of snake interactions with its environment. Snakes use one of several modes of locomotion, such as slithering on flat surfaces, sidewinding on sand, or accordion-like concertina and worm-like rectilinear motion to traverse crevices. We present a series of experiments and supporting mathematical models demonstrating how snakes optimize their speed and efficiency by adjusting their frictional properties as a function of position and time. Particular attention is paid to a novel paradigm in locomotion, a snake’s active control of its scales, which enables it to modify its frictional interactions with the ground. We use this discovery to build bio-inspired limbless robots that have improved sensitivity to the current state of the art: Scalybot has individually controlled sets of belly scales enabling it to climb slopes of 55 degrees. These findings will result in developing new functional materials and control algorithms that will guide roboticists as they endeavor towards building more effective all-terrain search and rescue robots.

Cette thèse propose un cadre méthodologique général et unifié adapté à l’étude de la locomotion d'une large gamme de robots, en particulier bio-inspirés. L'objectif de cette thèse est double. Tout d'abord, elle contribue à la classification des robots locomoteurs en adoptant les outils mathématiques mis en place par l'école américaine de mécanique géométrique. Deuxièmement,en profitant de la nature récursive de la formulation de Newton-Euler, elle propose de nouveaux outils efficaces sous la forme d'algorithmes aptes à résoudre les dynamiques externe directe et interne inverse de tout robot locomoteur approximable par un système multicorps mobile. Ces outils génériques peuvent aider l’ingénieur ou le chercheur dans la conception, la commande, la planification de mouvement des robots locomoteurs ou manipulateurs comprenant un grand nombre de degrés de liberté internes. Des algorithmes effectifs sont proposés pour les robots discrets ainsi que continus. Ces outils méthodologiques sont appliqués à de nombreux exemples illustratifs empruntés à la robotique bio-inspirée tels les robots serpents, chenilles et autres snake-board… / This thesis proposes a general and unified methodological framework suitable for studying the locomotion of a wide range of robots, especially bio-inspired. The objective of this thesis is twofold. First, it contributes to the classification of locomotion robots by adopting the mathematical tools developed by the American school of geometric mechanics.Secondly, by taking advantage of the recursive nature of the Newton-Euler formulation, it proposes numerous efficient tools in the form of computational algorithms capable of solving the external direct dynamics and the internal inverse dynamics of any locomotion robot considered as a mobile multi-body system. These generic tools can help the engineers or researchers in the design, control and motion planning of manipulators as well as locomotion robots with a large number of internal degrees of freedom. The efficient algorithms are proposed for discrete and continuous robots. These methodological tools are applied to numerous illustrative examples taken from the bio-inspired robotics such as snake-like robots, caterpillars, and others like snake-board, etc.