Development of a Peristaltic Sea Ice Drilling Robot for Exploration under Arctic Sea Ice

—Basic Evaluation of Pneumatically Driven Propulsion Unit—

Abstract

To extend the under-ice exploration in the Arctic Ocean, we propose an exploration method using a peristaltic sea ice drilling robot that communicates and relays at multiple points. We are currently developing a propulsion unit that mimics the peristaltic motion. Sea ice, the drilling target, has low fluidity, and the drilled ice hole diameter is difficult to change according to the shape of propulsion unit. Therefore, the drilling robot needs to adapt the drilled ice hole diameter. In this paper, a propulsion unit with a highly compliant air cylinder is developed and the characteristics of the propulsion unit are evaluated.