Development of foxtail robot mechanism using phase difference motion for narrow space

The foxtail has a characteristic that when it is pushed by the hand, it slides and moves along the direction of the bristle. Applying the foxtail mechanism makes it possible to make robots that can move in various narrow spaces with small and simple structure. A new type of mechanism is devised to compensate the limitations of the robot using the foxtail mechanism studied in the past. By using phase difference motion, we designed a robot that can move forward and change directions while using one motor. Experiments using a prototype robot showed that it is possible to move forward and rotation in the narrow space and flat surface, and to move horizontal and vertical pipelines. The effect of the condition of the bristle and the frequency of the motor on the moving of the robot was analyzed through simulation to study the improvement of the moving performance.