抄録
The mechanism of locomotion in a terrestrial gastropod or a snail seems to be attractive for the bedridden because the locomotion mechanism has the applicability to a mobility equipment like a non wheel bed with flexibility and stability for ground conditions inside a room. Though studies on the mechanism of locomotion in snail have been carried out, there is a significant absence of understanding the locomotion mechanism of a snail moving over irregular ground. In this paper, from the viewpoint of biomechanics, the locomotion mechanism of a snail moving over the rough surface of the ground was investigated through measurement of both the vertical and the horizontal forces generated by the sole of the snail. Moreover, the effect of mucus on the propulsion of the snail was also examined using a surface with water absorption paper and a repellent surface of the ground.
