Development of gliding locomotion robot by single servo motor

The gliding locomotion is defined as forward motion by the difference of friction between normal direction and tangential direction. Unlike conventional propulsion, the gliding locomotion method can move on low friction surface. Gliding locomotion robots have a simple mechanism, but it is difficult to control these robots. In previous researches, many gliding locomotion robots have been developed, and most of these robots need some actuators. In this paper, we have considered mechanism of the gliding locomotion which uses only one servo motor. Moreover, we have developed a robot with this mechanism which can move forward and turn. Then, we have shown experimental results that illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed mechanism.