ARCSnake V2: Mechanical Adaptations For An Amphibious Multi-Domain Screw-Propelled Snake-Like Robot
Robotic exploration in extreme environments, such as caves, oceans, and extraplanetary surfaces, poses significant challenges, specifically locomotion across diverse terrains. Conventional wheeled or legged robots often struggle in such contexts due to variability in traction. This paper presents ARCSnake V2, an adaptation of ARCSnake V1 with additional amphibious capabilities for aquatic environments. ARCSnake V2 combines the high mobility of hyper-redundant snake robots with the terrain versatility of Archimedean screw propulsion. Key contributions include a water-sealed mechanical design with serially linked screw and joint actuation, and an integrated buoyancy control system. Extensive experiments validate its underwater capabilities for diving and surfacing, as well as force-regulated actuation. These capabilities position ARCSnake V2 as a versatile platform for exploration, search-and-rescue, and environmental monitoring in multi-domain settings.