Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Rolling Resistance

Rolling Resistance

When a solid cylinder rolls steadily on a rigid surface, the normal force applied by the surface on the cylinder is perpendicular to the tangent at the contact point. However, since no materials are entirely rigid, the surface's reaction to the cylinder involves a range of normal pressures.
For instance, imagine a hard cylinder rolling on a comparatively soft surface. The cylinder's weight compresses the surface beneath it. As the cylinder moves, the material in front of it slows down due to...

Rolling Resistance: Problem Solving

Rolling Resistance: Problem Solving

Rolling resistance, also known as rolling friction, is the force that resists the motion of a rolling object, such as a wheel, tire, or ball, when it moves over a surface. It is caused by the deformation of the object and the surface in contact with each other, as well as other factors like internal friction, hysteresis, and energy losses within the materials. Rolling resistance opposes the object's motion, requiring additional energy to overcome it and maintain movement. In practical...

Mechanical Systems

Mechanical Systems

Mechanical systems are analogous to to electrical networks where springs and masses play similar roles to inductors and capacitors, respectively. A viscous damper in mechanical systems functions similarly to a resistor in electrical networks, dissipating energy. The forces acting on a mass in such systems include an applied force in the direction of motion, counteracted by forces from the spring, a viscous damper, and the mass's acceleration. This interplay of forces is mathematically described...

Electro-mechanical Systems

Electro-mechanical Systems

Electromechanical systems are intricate configurations that effectively combine electrical and mechanical elements to achieve a desired outcome. Central to many of these systems is the DC motor, a device that converts electrical energy into mechanical motion, enabling various applications ranging from simple fans to complex robotic mechanisms.
A key component of the DC motor is the armature, a rotating circuit positioned within a magnetic field. As an electric current passes through the...

Torque Free Motion

Torque Free Motion

The torque-free motion refers to the movement of a rigid body in space when no external torques are acting upon it. This type of motion can be observed in environments where there are no external forces or frictions, like in outer space. For example, a rotation of Mars in space is a torque-free motion. Mars is an axisymmetric object, meaning it has an axis of symmetry along which it rotates, designated as the z-axis. The rotating frame of reference is defined such that the center of mass of...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

The aerial combat strategy of dragonflies.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·2026

Same author

The nuptial dance of male mayflies helps avoid mistaken interception by other males.

The Journal of experimental biology·2026

Same author

A control engineering perspective on the advantages of efference copies.

Biological cybernetics·2025

Same author

Structural dynamics and neural representation of wing deformation.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025

Same author

Adaptability and resiliency of Lepidoptera and their cells in culture - linking evolutionary biology to biotechnological advantage.

Biotechnology advances·2025

Same author

Caterpillars suppress nocifensive behaviours during the quiescent 'sphinx' state.

Biology letters·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Simulation of a Scaled Assembly Process with Collaboration of a Robotic Arm and Monitoring through a Vision System for Quality Control

Simulation of a Scaled Assembly Process with Collaboration of a Robotic Arm and Monitoring through a Vision System for Quality Control

Published on: August 29, 2025

GoQBot: a caterpillar-inspired soft-bodied rolling robot.

Huai-Ti Lin¹, Gary G Leisk, Barry Trimmer

¹Department of Biology, Tufts University, 163 Packard Avenue, Medford, MA 02155, USA. huaiti.lin@gmail.com

Bioinspiration & Biomimetics

|April 28, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Caterpillars can rapidly curl into a wheel for escape, inspiring a soft-bodied robot, GoQBot, that mimics this self-propelled rolling locomotion. This research explores ballistic rolling dynamics and control in bio-inspired robots.

More Related Videos

Manufacturing, Control, and Performance Evaluation of a Gecko-Inspired Soft Robot

Manufacturing, Control, and Performance Evaluation of a Gecko-Inspired Soft Robot

Published on: June 10, 2020

Insect-controlled Robot: A Mobile Robot Platform to Evaluate the Odor-tracking Capability of an Insect

Insect-controlled Robot: A Mobile Robot Platform to Evaluate the Odor-tracking Capability of an Insect

Published on: December 19, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Simulation of a Scaled Assembly Process with Collaboration of a Robotic Arm and Monitoring through a Vision System for Quality Control

Simulation of a Scaled Assembly Process with Collaboration of a Robotic Arm and Monitoring through a Vision System for Quality Control

Published on: August 29, 2025

Manufacturing, Control, and Performance Evaluation of a Gecko-Inspired Soft Robot

Manufacturing, Control, and Performance Evaluation of a Gecko-Inspired Soft Robot

Published on: June 10, 2020

Insect-controlled Robot: A Mobile Robot Platform to Evaluate the Odor-tracking Capability of an Insect

Insect-controlled Robot: A Mobile Robot Platform to Evaluate the Odor-tracking Capability of an Insect

Published on: December 19, 2016

Area of Science:

Robotics
Biomechanics
Locomotion

Background:

Rolling locomotion is common, but some caterpillars exhibit unique self-propelled wheeling for escape.
This rapid body morphing generates high linear velocities, showcasing a fast natural escape mechanism.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the dynamics and control of ballistic rolling inspired by caterpillar behavior.
To construct and analyze a soft-bodied robot, GoQBot, that mimics caterpillar rolling locomotion.

Main Methods:

Developed GoQBot, a soft-bodied robot replicating caterpillar rolling.
Analyzed whole-body kinematics and 2D ground reaction forces during rolling.
Investigated mechanical coupling of actuators for coordinated movement without sensory feedback.

Main Results:

GoQBot achieved approximately 1G acceleration and over 200 rpm angular velocity.
Demonstrated that morphing can enable novel locomotion modes in robots.
Highlighted the importance of intrinsic mechanical coupling for soft-bodied locomotion.

Conclusions:

Bio-inspired robots like GoQBot can replicate complex natural locomotion.
Mechanical coupling is crucial for coordinated movement in soft-bodied systems.
Caterpillar rolling requires significant power, comparable to insect jumping, warranting further study into muscle mechanisms.