Search-based configuration planning and motion control algorithms for a snake-like robot performing load-intensive operations

Snake-like robots can enable workers to avoid difficult-to-reach, dangerous, and hazardous environments while enhancing their capabilities. The technologies developed for a snake-like robot can be transferred to applications such as robotic exploration, minimally invasive surgical robotics, and robotic manipulation in manufacturing industries. In this paper we consider high-load tasks, such as drilling through the studs inside a wall, using a snake-like robot. The key technical innovation in this work is to design a search-based planning algorithm for high degree of freedom articulated systems that explicitly takes into account contact with surfaces in the environment in order to garner mechanical support for performing load-intensive tasks. In case of a snake-like robot, contacts with the studs and other structural members within walls need to be exploited to its advantage for bracing against walls for support in order to climb up or perform load-intensive operations such as drilling. We present a contact-augmented graph construction, which is the main technical tool for finding stable load-bearing configurations. We also develop motion controllers for moving the robot into the planned configuration and progressing the robot during the drilling process. We validate the algorithms through simulation and introduce a preliminary experimental setup.