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Boxfish-Like Robot with an Artificial Lateral Line System
Published in Guangming Xie, Xingwen Zheng, Bionic Sensing with Artificial Lateral Line Systems for Fish-Like Underwater Robots, 2022
As shown in Figure 3.3, the sensors include an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a camera, an infrared sensor, and nine pressure sensors. IMU, camera, and infrared sensor are all placed at the central area in the front of the robot. IMU provides the acceleration and attitude information of the robotic fish so that its three-dimensional motions can be monitored. Camera and infrared sensor are used together to capture the surrounding environment. Thus the robotic fish can avoid obstacles and locate itself. Pressure sensors are distributed over the surface of the shell to establish an ALLS, for measuring the external pressures. Multiple 32-bit micro controllers (STM32F405 and STM32F103) on the circuit boards serve the functions of sensor data acquisition and steering engine control. The bottom circuit board is used for controlling steering engines and collecting data of camera, infrared sensor and IMU. In addition, a credit card-sized micro-computer called Raspberry Pi is adopted as a main processor of the robotic fish. Based on a Linux system(Detain) installed on Raspberry Pi, the robotic fish can be operated autonomously.
Underwater Target Tracking Control of an Untethered Robotic Fish with a Camera Stabilizer
Published in Junzhi Yu, Xingyu Chen, Shihan Kong, Visual Perception and Control of Underwater Robots, 2021
Junzhi Yu, Xingyu Chen, Shihan Kong
Recent years have witnessed an increase in interests in the development and deployment of bioinspired aquatic mechatronic systems [1–4]. Motivated by the prominent swimming abilities of fish, a multitude of efforts have been devoted to the development of fishlike robots, termed robotic fish. On the one hand, fish have evolved amazing adaptations to their environments, offering a range of design options in highly dynamic aquatic environments. On the other hand, integrating biological features into aquatic robotic systems creates favorable opportunities for enhanced understanding of fish propulsion and maneuvering [5]. In particular, maneuverability, efficiency, and stealth performance are three key factors that differentiate bioinspired robotic fish from other types of aquatic robots [6–9]. Undoubtedly, robotic fishes hold tremendous promise for real-world applications, such as oceanography, surveillance, archaeology, patrol, marine environmental monitoring, and mobile sensing, where operations are highly dangerous or impractical for humans or conventional underwater vehicles.
Flexible and Stretchable Actuators
Published in Muhammad Mustafa Hussain, Nazek El-Atab, Handbook of Flexible and Stretchable Electronics, 2019
The main trends of soft robotics are comprised of replicating the various complex motions of living creatures or programming the bio-inspired displacements. Soft robotics might play an essential role to assist the humans to perform different complex activities, especially where a human has limited access such as in a harsh environment, space exploration missions, and others. Since ionic EAPs require only ~2–3 volts, therefore, these EAP might be very handy to study the underwater resources. In order to design these EAP-based flexible robots, a long time pursuit is to mimic the soft-bodied animals, called biomimetic or bio-inspired robotics. Swimming motions (i.e., forward, backward, up/downward) were replicated by fabricating the mantra ray fish and squids, as shown in Figure 11.14a [90,103,104]. Similarly, snake-like robots and octopuses were studied using IPMCs, as shown in Figure 11.14b [91,105,106]. Currently, high-voltage run soft robotics have also attracted the attention because of their fast response and large output strain. For instance, Li. et al. have demonstrated a fast moving fish, which was made of commercial Si elastomer and stimulated by 10 kV for the highest speed (~13.5 cm/sec), as shown in Figure 11.14c and d. Additionally, with only one single battery (~450 mAh), aquatic robotic-fish was able to swim for about 3 hours continuously. Their electronic fish was also capable to sustain its operation in high temperature such as up to ~74.2°C [92].
On technical issues for underwater charging of robotic fish schools using ocean renewable energy
Published in Ships and Offshore Structures, 2023
Nature has always been a source of inspiration for various human sciences and technologies, engineering principles, and major innovations and inventions. There are many mechanisms in nature that are worth imitating. People learn from the ultrasonic waves of bats and use radar to detect the environment (Carrer and Bruzzone 2016); scientists study the eyes of frogs (Tang et al. 2014), thus inventing electronic frog eyes; inspired by birds flying in the sky, humans build airplanes (Mohler 2004). Robotic fish are also a good example of humans learning from nature. The earth is a planet whose surface is covered 71% by water, and fish are the masters of this water world. As of 2019, there are more than 36,000 species of fish in the world, which account for most of the named vertebrates (Rome 2020). Fish have many characteristics that attract us to imitate them. For example, high mobility and agility, considerably high evading speeds, small turning radius and also maintaining balance even in rough water and travelling freely (Webb et al. 1996). Robotic fish combine these characteristics of fish, making them have good performance in ocean exploration and monitoring.