US Patent 10946535 Earthworm-like motion of soft bodied structure

The soft bodied structures and systems for controlling such devices are described herein. The soft bodied structures can move from a first position to a second position by an earthworm-like motion. The system can include connecting to a first contact point of the surface using a surface attachment. The medial region can include one or more spacer regions. The medial actuators can be actuated to expand the exterior medial surface at the spacer regions, thus moving the unattached end portion forward. The device can then attach to a second contact point using the surface attachment and the end portion actuator of the unattached end portion. Then, the surface attachment of the first attached end portion can detach. The medial actuators and the spacer regions can then relax, followed by detaching the surface attachment of the second attached end portion.