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Interface."],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2023,8]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>The current study investigates the body\u2013environment interaction and exploits the passive viscoelastic properties of the body to perform undulatory locomotion. The investigations are carried out using a mathematical model based on a dry frictional environment, and the results are compared with the performance obtained using a physical model. The physical robot is a wheel-based modular system with flexible joints moving on different substrates. The influence of the spatial distribution of body stiffness on speed performance is also investigated. Our results suggest that the environment affects the performance of undulatory locomotion based on the distribution of body stiffness. While stiffness may vary with the environment, we have established a qualitative constitutive law that holds across environments. Specifically, we expect the stiffness distribution to exhibit either an ascending\u2013descending or an ascending\u2013plateau pattern along the length of the object, from head to tail. Furthermore, undulatory locomotion showed sensitivity to contact mechanics: solid\u2013solid or solid\u2013viscoelastic contact produced different locomotion kinematics. Our results elucidate how terrestrial limbless animals achieve undulatory locomotion performance by exploiting the passive properties of the environment and the body. Application of the results obtained may lead to better performing long-segmented robots that exploit the suitability of passive body dynamics and the properties of the environment in which they need to move.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1098\/rsif.2023.0330","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,9]],"date-time":"2023-08-09T03:05:55Z","timestamp":1691550355000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1098\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Towards the optimization of passive undulatory locomotion on land: mathematical and physical models"],"prefix":"10.1098","volume":"20","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6899-2032","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Basit","family":"Yaqoob","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory for Bioinspired, Bionic, Nano, Meta Materials and Mechanics, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Trento 38122, Italy"},{"name":"Laboratory of Bioinspired Soft Robotics, Center for Convergent Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova 16163, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6874-1970","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emanuela Del","family":"Dottore","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Bioinspired Soft Robotics, Center for Convergent Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova 16163, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2303-2844","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alessio","family":"Mondini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Bioinspired Soft Robotics, Center for Convergent Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova 16163, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4321-313X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrea","family":"Rodella","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Structural and Geotechnical Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00184, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0722-8350","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Barbara","family":"Mazzolai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Bioinspired Soft Robotics, Center for Convergent Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova 16163, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2136-2396","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nicola M.","family":"Pugno","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory for Bioinspired, Bionic, Nano, Meta Materials and Mechanics, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Trento 38122, Italy"},{"name":"School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"175","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_7_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/1445013"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_3_2","first-page":"33","article-title":"Locomotion of limbless vertebrates: pattern and evolution","volume":"42","author":"Gans C","year":"1986","unstructured":"Gans C. 1986 Locomotion of limbless vertebrates: pattern and evolution. 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