Watch This 12-Segment Servo Robot Snake Slither Like the Real Thing

Snakes are incredible creatures, in that while they lack legs, they’re still able to get around quite well using an oscillating motion. While we’ve yet to entirely replicate their smooth natural movements, this servo-driven snake by YouTuber Nevon Projects is a valiant attempt.

The snake-bot employs a total of 12 servos to twist its body as needed, producing forward motion with the help of rollers below. As seen in the video at around 1:45, it can even twist itself into a square-ish pattern, and presumably any other shape that one could conceive. The device is capable of slithering across smooth surfaces with ease, traversing rougher terrain, and even oscillating over wet floors.

Servos are powered by a 7.4V battery pack, while a separate supply feeds the Arduino Mega that’s used for control. The user interface consists of a smartphone via the robot’s onboard Bluetooth module and a WiFi camera provides feedback for first-person snake action. A distance sensor is also implemented on a small servo that swivels about, allowing it to navigate around on its own if you so desire.

One interesting feature is that the batteries and forward sensor are arranged on a sort of head assembly, while a similar tail section mounts electronics including the Arduino. Both are linked together over the body with quite a bit of wire.