Snake Scale Discovery Could Help Snake Robots

Snake Robots

The recent discovery that snake scales are the secret to how real snakes slither and travel along the ground has some scientists excited about the possibilties of applying that to snake robots to help them in their movement and tasks.

Scales are snake's side winding secret, say scientists. In a Tuesday report led by David Hu of Georgia Tech, experiments reveal that snakes propel themselves forward via friction between belly scales and the ground, rather than pushing off on rocks and twigs as long supposed.

According to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal report, the findings means, "wheelless snake robots can be designed to slither, on relatively featureless terrain, such as sand or bare rock, which do not provide obvious push points." In 70 experiments with milk snakes, the researchers found the serpents vary the grab of their belly scales to go uphill or downhill and to pick up speed.

The findings may aid with the design of robots designed to slither into rescue scenes after a disaster.

Snake Robot Breakthrough