Development of a Peristaltic Ice Drilling Robot for Arctic Under-Sea Ice Exploration -Evaluation of Excavation Performance of an Excavation Unit-

In this study, we developed an excavation unit for an ice drilling robot. This unit reduces contact between the excavated ice and the borehole wall, preventing ice refreezing. Additionally, a blade attached to the center of the drill tip effectively crushes ice at the borehole center. Experiments confirmed the transportation of excavated ice and the crushing of ice at the borehole center, demonstrating the effectiveness of reducing the exposed length of the auger and utilizing a central blade.