Kinematic Condition for Maximizing the Thrust of a Robotic Fish Using a Compliant Caudal Fin

Park, Yong-Jai; Jeong, Useok; Lee, Jeongsu; Kwon, Seok-Ryung; Kim, Ho-Young; Cho, Kyu-Jin

doi:10.1109/tro.2012.2205490

Cited by 92 publications

(61 citation statements)

References 35 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Changing the thickness of the silicone substrates will change the bending stiffness, and can change stroke amplitude. Similarly, the geometry and stiffness of the passive parts are also important parameters to maximize thrust [21]. Further characterization of swimming speed, thrust, and tail amplitude as a function of the drive voltage and frequency should be performed for different device geometries.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomimetic underwater robots based on dielectric elastomer actuators

Shintake

Shea

Floreano

2016

2016 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract-Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs), a soft actuator technology, hold great promise for biomimetic underwater robots. The high-voltages required to drive DEAs can however make them challenging to use in water. This paper demonstrates a method to create DEA-based biomimetic swimming robots that operate reliably even in conductive liquids. We ensure the insulation of the high-voltage DEA electrodes without degrading actuation performance by laminating silicone layers. A fish and a jellyfish were fabricated and tested in water. The fish robot has a length of 120 mm and a mass of 3.8 g. The jellyfish robot has a 61 mm diameter for a mass of 2.6 g. The measured swimming speeds for a periodic 3 kV drive voltage were ∼8 mm/s for the fish robot, and ∼1.5 mm/s for the jellyfish robot.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomimetic underwater robots based on dielectric elastomer actuators

Shintake

Shea

Floreano

2016

2016 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…As the most conspicuous appendage of the fish's body, the caudal fin has also been studied extensively [11][12][13][14][15]. The use of bio-inspired devices has been one of the most pervasive methods for achieving insight into the hydrodynamic performance of the caudal fin [16][17][18][19][20]. For simplification, the fish tail has always been modelled as a simple foil, capable of conducting only twodimensional (2D) flapping movements (heave and pitch) as an extension of the undulatory wave of the body [21], and hydrodynamic evaluation has accordingly been limited to thrust performance in the horizontal plane.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For simplification, the fish tail has always been modelled as a simple foil, capable of conducting only twodimensional (2D) flapping movements (heave and pitch) as an extension of the undulatory wave of the body [21], and hydrodynamic evaluation has accordingly been limited to thrust performance in the horizontal plane. The significant impact of heave and pitch motions on hydrodynamic propulsion has gained great attention [18,20]. Nevertheless, a model that treats the fish caudal fin as a simple plate that performs only heave and pitch movements will be inevitably simplistic.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigation of Fish Caudal Fin Locomotion Using a Bio-Inspired Robotic Model

Wang

Wen

2016

International Journal of Advanced Robotic Systems

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Due to its advantages of realizing repeatable experiments, collecting data and isolating key factors, the bio-robotic model is becoming increasingly important in the study of biomechanics. The caudal fin of fish has long been understood to be central to propulsion performance, yet its contribution to manoeuverability, especially for homocercal caudal fin, has not been studied in depth. In the research outlined in this paper, we designed and fabricated a robotic caudal fin to mimic the morphology and the three-dimensional (3D) locomotion of the tail of the Bluegill Sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus). We applied heave and pitch motions to the robot to model the movement of the caudal peduncle of its biological counterpart. Force measurements and 2D and 3D digital particle image velocimetry were then conducted under different movement patterns and flow speeds. From the force data, we found the addition of the 3D caudal fin locomotion significantly enhanced the lift force magnitude. The phase difference between the caudal fin ray and peduncle motion was a key factor in simultaneously controlling the thrust and lift. The increased flow speed had a negative impact on the generation of lift force. From the average 2D velocity field, we observed that the vortex wake directed water both axially and vertically, and formed a jet-like structure with notable wake velocity. The 3D instantaneous velocity field at 0.6 T indicated the 3D motion of the caudal fin may result in asymmetry wake flow patterns relative to the mid-sagittal plane and change the heading direction of the shedding vortexes. Based on these results, we hypothesized that live fish may actively tune the movement between the caudal fin rays and the peduncle to change the wake structure behind the tail and hence obtain different thrust and lift forces, which contributes to its high manoeuvrability.

show abstract

“…A fish-like robot is developed in [193][194][195]. The trust generated by the caudal fin is modified by modifying its stiffness.…”

Section: Biomimeticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flexible Medical Devices: Review of Controllable Stiffness Solutions

2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract:In the medical field and in soft robotics, flexible devices are required for safe human interaction, while rigid structures are required to withstand the force application and accuracy in motion. This paper aims at presenting controllable stiffness mechanisms described in the literature for applications with or without shape-locking performances. A classification of the solutions based on their working principle is proposed. The intrinsic properties of these adaptive structures can be modified to change their mechanical characteristics from a geometrical point of view or equivalent elastic properties (with internal mechanisms or with a change in material properties). These solutions are compared quantitatively, based on selected criteria linked to the medical field as the stiffness range, the activation time and the working conditions. Depending on the application and its requirements, the most suitable solution can be selected following the quantitative comparisons. Several applications of these tunable stiffness structures are proposed and illustrated by examples of the literature.

show abstract

Kinematic Condition for Maximizing the Thrust of a Robotic Fish Using a Compliant Caudal Fin

Cited by 92 publications

References 35 publications

Biomimetic underwater robots based on dielectric elastomer actuators

Biomimetic underwater robots based on dielectric elastomer actuators

Investigation of Fish Caudal Fin Locomotion Using a Bio-Inspired Robotic Model

Flexible Medical Devices: Review of Controllable Stiffness Solutions

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About