In this study, the kinematics and dynamics of a single actuator wave (SAW)-like robot are explored. Comprising a helical spine and links, SAW has the potential for miniaturization. A kinematic model for SAW is firstly established, and the dynamic equation of motion is derived based on Kane’s method. For validation, the motion of SAW is simulated using both MATLAB and ADAMS, and the comparison of results demonstrates the effectiveness of the theoretical models. Then the inverse dynamic analysis is performed to reveal the power consumption. Finally, robot prototypes are developed and tested to confirm the robot velocity predicted by simulations.