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YOU CAN 3D PRINT A ROBOT SNAKE THAT SLITHERS LIKE THE REAL THING

A 3D-printed snake with 16 segments that slithers across the floor using real serpentine motion, driven by cheap micro servos.

by mvipin

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

RoboticsWorkshop

Built withArduino3D printing

difficulty
●●●○○
time
a weekend
license
MIT
repo
repo ACTIVE5 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Videos
1
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COMPAREE VERDICT

SlitherBot is a genuinely impressive biomimetic robot that does what the video shows: it slithers. The serpentine motion comes from phase-shifted servo movements coordinated by an Arduino, and the effect is convincing. The build is not trivial — you are printing 16 identical segments, installing a servo in each one, threading power and signal wires through the entire length, then tuning the motion parameters until it moves smoothly. The single biggest pain point is that 16 servos means 16 potential points of failure: one servo with a slightly different center point or a weak joint will make the snake move unevenly, and you will spend Saturday afternoon on calibration. The TPU skin is optional but makes a huge visual difference; without it you are looking at a chain of plastic boxes. If you have never worked with servo arrays before, expect the wiring and the PCA9685 setup to take longer than the print. The payoff is a robot that genuinely impresses anyone who sees it move. This is not a beginner project, but it is a weekend build for someone comfortable with Arduino and patient with mechanical tuning.

GOOD TO KNOW

  • —Printable parts (16 ribs, head, tail electronics housing, wheels and TPU skin) are on Thingiverse; the GitHub repo holds the Arduino code and the documentation.
  • —Full Arduino code provided for serpentine motion control with configurable wave parameters.
  • —Bill of materials lists 16× MG90S micro servos, Arduino Nano, PCA9685 servo driver board, and TPU filament for the flexible skin.
  • —README includes assembly instructions, wiring diagrams, and calibration guidance.
  • —Licensed under MIT — commercial use allowed.
  • —No prebuilt circuit board; you wire the servo driver to the Arduino yourself using jumper wires.

Parts to buy

7 items

From our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.

  • 16× MG90S micro servosFind
  • Arduino NanoFind
  • PCA9685 16-channel servo driverFind
  • 2S LiPo battery with an MP1584EN buck converterFind
  • Infrared sensorFind
  • Rubber bands and M2 screws for the passive wheelsFind
  • WireFind

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Can I build this?

Print16 body segments, 1 head, 1 tail, all FDM printable; TPU skin if you want the organic look
Buy16× MG90S micro servos, Arduino Nano, PCA9685 16-channel servo driver, 2S LiPo battery with an MP1584EN buck converter, infrared sensor, rubber bands and M2 screws for the passive wheels, wire
ToolsFDM 3D printer, soldering iron for power distribution (optional but recommended), small screwdriver, wire strippers
SkillsIntermediate: Arduino programming, basic electronics, FDM printing with supports, patience with repetitive assembly and servo calibration
Timea weekend - printing 16 ribs, the head, tail housing, wheels and TPU skin, then assembling, wiring and trimming the servo offsets. The creator publishes no time estimate.
CostModerate - the 16 MG90S servos dominate; the Arduino Nano, PCA9685, buck converter, 2S LiPo and IR sensor add a little. No total is published.
SafetyLow-voltage DC only, but it runs from a 2S LiPo: charge it with a proper LiPo charger, do not leave it charging unattended, and do not over-discharge it.

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

Videos

The project's demo video, linked from the README, shows SlitherBot's serpentine motion; build details are on the README and the Hackaday.io project page.

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Gallery

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Print one body segment first and test-fit a servo(Make sure your printer tolerances work before printing all 16.)
  2. 2.Order servos and the PCA9685 driver board (MG90S servos are cheap but quality varies by supplier; consider ordering a couple of spares.)
  3. 3.Read the assembly guide and wiring diagram (Wire routing is the trickiest part; understand the path before you start threading cables.)
  4. 4.Flash the Arduino code and test with one servo(Verify the PCA9685 library and I2C communication work before full assembly.)

KNOWN ISSUES

  • Buying servos without checking center calibration first — a batch where half the servos have different zero points will cost you hours of frustration. Test them individually before installation.
  • Not leaving enough slack in the wiring between segments — the snake needs to flex, and taut wires will either break or restrict motion.
  • Skipping the single-segment test print — if the servo does not fit snugly or the joint is too loose, you will only discover this after printing all 16.
  • Underpowering the servo array - 16 servos moving at once need a solid supply; the design uses a 2S LiPo through an MP1584EN buck converter set to 5 V. If the snake jitters or moves erratically, check that the battery is above 7 V and the buck output is 5 V.
  • Trying to tune motion parameters without understanding the phase offset logic — the wave propagates through servo positions in sequence, and random tweaking makes it worse, not better.
  • Printing the TPU skin before the mechanics work — get the snake moving smoothly with bare segments first, then add the skin as a final cosmetic step.

Can I use different servos?

Yes, but stick to micro servos in the 9g class. Larger servos will not fit the printed segments, and weaker ones may struggle with the snake's weight.

Do I need the TPU skin?

It is not what makes it move — the passive wheels with rubber-band traction under each rib do that. The TPU structured skin is a flexible covering that makes the finished robot look far more organic; get the snake moving first, then add it.

How fast does it move?

Slowly - this is serpentine locomotion, not a racing robot. The README gives no speed figure; the default wave runs at 1 Hz with 30 degrees of swing, both adjustable in the code.

Can I control it remotely?

The base code has no remote control, but it is autonomous: an infrared sensor in the head detects obstacles and the snake backs away and turns. Adding Bluetooth or WiFi control is up to you.

Community builds

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Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

Sixteen MG90S servos in a chain, each with its own offset to trim — but the result is a robot that moves like a living thing. Would you tackle this build, or does the servo count put you off?

CompareeTEAM2mo agoedited

Practical notes from our verification: the GitHub repository holds the README and a single Arduino sketch (serpentine.ino); the STL files are on Thingiverse and there is also a Hackaday.io project page. The README itself is detailed: a full component list (16 MG90S micro servos, Arduino Nano, PCA9685 servo driver, MP1584EN buck converter, 2S LiPo, IR proximity sensor), I2C wiring, print settings, and step-by-step assembly. The creator's demo video on YouTube is linked from the README. The single biggest practical point is servo calibration: the troubleshooting section says uneven movement or a snake that curves to one side is fixed by trimming individual offsets in the offset[] array and checking horn alignment, so expect to spend time on it. Locomotion relies on passive printed wheels with rubber-band traction, and the skin is a separate TPU print with an orthotropic structured pattern inspired by Disney Research, after fabric, silicone and plate attempts failed. Only serpentine motion is implemented; other gaits are listed as future work. Correction (4 October 2026): we re-checked this page line by line against the project's own repository, documentation and videos, and fixed errors in earlier versions.

mvipin

Created by mvipin as an exploration of biomimetic robotics and articulated mechanism design. The project demonstrates how distributed servo control can replicate natural motion patterns using simple, inexpensive hardware.

GitHub

Star the project on GitHub

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