Abstract：In this paper, planar locomotion is investigated for a class of vibration-driven system with two internal masses. The internal masses, driven by three-phase motion, move on two perpendicular slots. Planar locomotion of the system is derived from the two moving internal masses. The friction between the system and supporting plane is supposed to be viscous and anisotropic. First, the mechanical system is modeled by using the second kind Lagrange’s equation. Secondly, the velocity-Verlet is employed to analyze the planar locomotion of the system. For the rectilinear locomotion, the analytical solution and the numerical simulation are in good agreement and it implies the reliability of the velocity algorithm. Thus, the planar locomotion of the system can be obtained. Moreover, we establish the relations among the internal driven parameters, the trajectory and velocity of the vibration-driven system. It follows from the numerical results that the six types of the switching trajectory can arise by choosing the driven parameters. Integrating the different switching trajectories, one can obtain any continuous-curvature paths.
2016, Vol. 37 
