Rattler, A Snake Locomotion Device

a) Plastic "barb" plates provide traction in forward direction only.

b) Slider discs made from soda can bottoms slip over ground as snake bends.

c) Toggle strings run down umbilical tubes to snake body and bend hinged styrofoam segments back and forth.

As snake shortens (bent) it pulls tail forward. As snake lengthens (straight) it pushes head forward.

This 1990 design, by David Santos, is based on one of several biomechanical snake locomotion modes. Despite the simplicity of only four segments, it moves very realistically.


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