Robotic Caterpillar

Video: "A caterpillar with nine electric motors climbs a woodpile!"

[T]he crux of the work was a gloriously fun math problem. Solving caterpillar motion over arbitrary curved surfaces is the toughest, and most rewarding, math that I’ve gotten into yet. It took me several months as well. The video is a single take, shot between 1:10pm and 1:20pm in my shop, when the sun aligns with a skylight to create a pool of light...

Caterpillar and Woodpile 2019 from Reuben Margolin on Vimeo.