Understanding the Locomotion and Dynamic Controls for Millipedes: Part 1 — Kinematic Analysis of Millipede Movements

Garcia, Anthony; Priya, Shashank; Marek, Paul E.

doi:10.1115/smasis2015-8894

Cited by 9 publications

(25 citation statements)

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“…While typically used for fluid dynamic applications, the Strouhal number is the ratio of the wave velocity to the body velocity, which provides a dimensionless value to compare the locomotion cases. Inclination Experiment: Wavelength-Consistent with previous findings [21,22], there is a clear increase in wavelength with increased propulsive force demand as shown in figures 1(A) and (B). In these figures, there is a distinct increasing trend in dimensionless wavelength for both species climbing steep inclined surfaces.…”

Section: Live Millipede Experimentssupporting

confidence: 87%

“…The generated wave form undergoes a mechanically clipped deformation of a sinusoidal wave increasing both in length and amplitude (figure S6D). Assuming that all the legs are performing identical motions [21,22,26], with only slight variation in phase, the motion will be indicative of an increase in duty cycle (the quotient of stance duration and stride duration) with increasing resistive force (also referred to as 'duty factor'). In other words, the resulting quotient of legs in the stance per wave (or across the entire body) is also equal to the duty cycle of an individual leg.…”

Section: Live Millipede Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Prior literature [14][15][16][17][18][19][20] has primarily focused on the decentralized control schemes of a myriapodous platform utilizing feedback to generate a responsive gait behavior. A preliminary experimental investigation [21] on millipede-specific locomotory mechanisms for traversing complex terrains has revealed that: (i) millipedes possess segments along their body that moves relative to each other with three degrees-of-freedom in a sequential manner to smoothly transition into the given direction of motion, and (ii) there is a metachronal gait which results in a traveling wave that can be modulated on surfaces with different resistances (figures 1(E), (F) and S2). These findings were consistent with the initial study performed by Manton [22] that demonstrated traveling wave modulation for varying thrust force performance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fundamental understanding of millipede morphology and locomotion dynamics

Garcia¹,

Krummel

Priya

2020

Bioinspir. Biomim.

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A detailed model for the locomotory mechanics used by millipedes is provided here through systematic experimentation on the animal and validation of observations through a biomimetic robotic platform. Millipedes possess a powerful gait that is necessary for generating large thrust force required for proficient burrowing. Millipedes implement a metachronal gait through movement of many legs that generates a traveling wave. This traveling wave is modulated by the animal to control the magnitude of thrust force in the direction of motion for burrowing, climbing, or walking. The quasi-static model presented for the millipede locomotion mechanism matches experimental observations on live millipedes and results obtained from a biomimetic robotic platform. The model addresses questions related to the unique morphology of millipedes with respect to their locomotory performance. A complete understanding of the physiology of millipedes and mechanisms that provide modulation of the traveling wave locomotion using a metachronal gait to increase their forward thrust is provided. Further, morphological features needed to optimize various locomotory and burrowing functions are discussed. Combined, these results open opportunity for development of biologically inspired locomotory methods for miniaturized robotic platforms traversing terrains and substrates that present large resistances.

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Section: Live Millipede Experimentssupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Live Millipede Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fundamental understanding of millipede morphology and locomotion dynamics

Garcia¹,

Krummel

Priya

2020

Bioinspir. Biomim.

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“…Super-elongation in the Diplopoda has repeatedly evolved in taxa that live in these microhabitats, such as in Siphonorhinidae ( I. plenipes with 192 segments and Nematozonium filum Verhoeff, 1939 with 182 segments), Siphonophoridae ( Siphonophora millepeda Loomis, 1934 and Siphonacme lyttoni Cook & Loomis, 1928 each with 190 segments), and E. persephone . Each additional ring provides extra locomotory thrust 23 , and E. persephone ’s up to 330 rings may be specially adapted to locomotion in its comparatively deep soil microhabitat at 60 m—five-fold greater than the maximum depth of Illacme species. Trunk super-elongation may also serve to lengthen the digestive canal to increase the absorptive surface area and assimilation efficiency in a resource-limited subterranean habitat, as may be the case for I. plenipes , which additionally has an even longer corkscrew-shaped gut than the trunk itself 15 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The first true millipede—1306 legs long

Marek

Buzatto

Shear

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

632

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The name “millipede” translates to a thousand feet (from mille “thousand” and pes “foot”). However, no millipede has ever been described with more than 750 legs. We discovered a new record-setting species of millipede with 1,306 legs, Eumillipes persephone, from Western Australia. This diminutive animal (0.95 mm wide, 95.7 mm long) has 330 segments, a cone-shaped head with enormous antennae, and a beak for feeding. A distant relative of the previous record holder, Illacme plenipes from California, it belongs to a different order, the Polyzoniida. Discovered 60 m below ground in a drill hole created for mineral exploration, E. persephone possesses troglomorphic features; it lacks eyes and pigmentation, and it has a greatly elongated body—features that stand in stark contrast to its closest surface-dwelling relatives in Australia and all other members of its order. Using phylogenomics, we found that super-elongation (> 180 segments) evolved repeatedly in the millipede class Diplopoda. The striking morphological similarity between E. persephone and I. plenipes is a result of convergent evolution, probably for locomotion in similar soil habitats. Discovered in the resource-rich Goldfields-Esperance region and threatened by encroaching surface mining, documentation of this species and conservation of its habitat are of critical importance.

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“…The parameters seen in Table I, were necessary to size the robot. The speed of the walking gait is characterised by [6] as…”

Section: Kinematics Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design of a Transforming Myriapod Robot for Multimodal Locomotion

Sherry¹,

Zhou²

2021

UK-RAS Conference for PhD and Early Career Researchers Proceedings

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This paper describes the design and simulation verification of a multimodal locomotion system on a myriapod robot which is able to walk on uneven terrain and roll on flat ground. The proposed design aimed to reduce actuation while maintaining power efficiency on both flat and uneven terrain. A mathematical approach was utilised to determine key parameters. A simulation study was conducted to verify the kinematics and dynamics of the system, modelling the locomotion of the robot while walking and during its transformation to rolling on flat ground.

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Understanding the Locomotion and Dynamic Controls for Millipedes: Part 1 — Kinematic Analysis of Millipede Movements

Cited by 9 publications

References 0 publications

Fundamental understanding of millipede morphology and locomotion dynamics

Fundamental understanding of millipede morphology and locomotion dynamics

The first true millipede—1306 legs long

Design of a Transforming Myriapod Robot for Multimodal Locomotion

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