Experimental Modeling and Variable Structure Control for Cyborg Cockroaches

Cyborg insects are rapidly becoming the frontier in research into alternative robotic systems. They are particularly suitable for applications where it is necessary to move in unstructured environments. On the other hand, it is still difficult to precisely model their movements due to the highly nonlinear behavior of biological systems compared to engineered robots. In this letter, the kinematic mathematical model of the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach obtained through experiments is presented. The model is then used to show the feasibility of the proposed variable structure control algorithm to obtain trajectory tracking for a biological system with the aim of improving trajectory planning for the cyborg insect. The obtained results are presented.