Analysis of snake movement forms (1st report, standard creep movement forms of snake)

Abstract

In this paper, we elucidate the standard creep movement forms (S-shaped curve) of a snake, which is the typical locomotive movement shown by snakes. Serpentine curve in the constant steady-state velocity and ex-serpentine curve in the constant steady-state acceleration are derived for the uniform creep locomotion of the snake, through analyzing physiologically its muscle characteristics. Muscular force is also discussed for these two types uniform locomotive curves. The results proposed here are demonstrated by computer simulation to agree with previously reported experimental results (Y. Umetani and S. Hirose, Trans. of the Society of Instrument and Control Engineers, 10-5, 1974, 513-518, in Japanese).