Design, Modeling, and Control of an Aurelia-Inspired Robot Based on SMA Artificial Muscles

Abstract

This paper presented a flexible and easily fabricated untethered underwater robot inspired by Aurelia, which is named “Au-robot”. The Au-robot is actuated by six radial fins made of shape memory alloy (SMA) artificial muscle modules, which can realize pulse jet propulsion motion. The thrust model of the Au-robot’s underwater motion is developed and analyzed. To achieve a multimodal and smooth swimming transition for the Au-robot, a control method integrating a central pattern generator (CPG) and an adaptive regulation (AR) heating strategy is provided. The experimental results demonstrate that the Au-robot, with good bionic properties in structure and movement mode, can achieve a smooth transition from low-frequency swimming to high-frequency swimming with an average maximum instantaneous velocity of 12.61 cm/s. It shows that a robot designed and fabricated with artificial muscle can imitate biological structures and movement traits more realistically and has better motor performance.

Exploring Embodied Intelligence in Soft Robotics: A Review

“…The drawbacks of traditional robots, such as rigidity, complexity, and poor flexibility, have prompted researchers to draw inspiration from nature, delve into biomimetic mechanisms, and develop various types of soft robots [23]. From a biomimetic perspective, the design and implementation of soft robots are inspired by the structures and functions of biological organisms found in nature [24][25][26][27][28][29]. Researchers have designed various types of soft robots, as shown in Figure 4.…”

“…Biomimetics 2024, 9, 248 mechanisms, and develop various types of soft robots [23]. From a biomime tive, the design and implementation of soft robots are inspired by the structure tions of biological organisms found in nature [24][25][26][27][28][29]. Researchers have desig types of soft robots, as shown in Figure 4.…”

“…Interestingly, natural soft ganisms, such as octopuses, have evolved over millions of years to develop effi ods for utilizing their complex morphological features for perception, contro putation. This natural strategy has sparked research in morphological computa that explores how to translate this capability observed in biological organisms [24]. (b) Sea turtle-inspired swimming robot [25].…”

“…Figure 4. (a) Aurelia-inspired robot based on SMA artificial muscle[24]. (b) Sea turtle-inspired swimming robot[25].…”