
Xiaobo Bi and Qiang Zhu discuss their work developing an aquatic robot inspired by cephalopods. (Left) Envisioned squid-inspired robot that combines fin flapping and jetting for locomotion. (Right) Numerical simulations provide insights of the underlying physical mechanisms. CREDIT Qiang Zhu
Scientists studied fluid mechanics to simulate and build a squidlike robot that’s fast, quiet and hard to see.
Inspired by the unique and efficient swimming strategy of cephalopods, scientists developed an aquatic robot that mimics their form of propulsion.
These high-speed, squidlike robots are made of smart materials, which make them hard to detect — an advantage that has potential military reconnaissance and scientific applications — while maintaining a low environmental footprint.
Physicists Xiaobo Bi and Qiang Zhu used numerical simulations to illustrate the physical mechanisms and fluid mechanics of a squid’s swimming method, which uses intermittent bursts through pulsed jet propulsion. By using this form of locomotion, the new device can achieve impressive speeds, just like its animal inspiration. Bi and Zhu discuss their work in this week’s Physics of Fluids, from AIP Publishing.
When swimming, these squidlike machines suck water into a pressure chamber and then eject it. The soft-bodied device could be used as a platform for environmental monitoring by simultaneously using this feature to test water samples as it swims.
“In addition to the 2D and 3D numerical simulations presented in this article, we are working with an interdisciplinary team to build a prototype of the mechanical device, to perform both straight-line swimming and maneuvers,” Zhu said. “This project will combine fluid dynamics, control, smart materials and robotic design.”
The device could be used as either a stand-alone swimmer or as a propeller of an underwater vehicle.
The researchers have not yet been able to maintain speeds that can last for more than a few cycles due to turbulence and instabilities, but they are working on ways to overcome this. Zhu hopes this research will provide a starting point for more sophisticated modeling and experimental studies to develop robots like their creation.
Learn more: Squid-inspired robots might have environmental, propulsion applications
The Latest on: Aquatic robot
[google_news title=”” keyword=”aquatic robot” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Aquatic robot
- Hudson River Park’s Latest Weapon Against Water Pollution is a Robot Shark — and it Needs a Nameon November 29, 2023 at 12:11 am
The WasteShark getting ready to take a swim in the Hudson River. Photo: HRPK “Floating debris can be just out of reach from our shoreline access, and we’ve even tried using pool skimmers to capture ...
- Best robot vacuum 2023: Black Friday savings on our favourite tested cleaners for carpets, mopping and self-emptyingon November 28, 2023 at 2:42 am
Sick of doing the weekly hoovering? Why not let one of the best robot vacuum cleaners give you a helping hand? Robot vacuum cleaners are no longer the expensive pieces of home cleaning tech they ...
- Robots Hackson November 26, 2023 at 4:01 pm
[EXTREME3DPRINT] has a new version of their print-in-place tank chassis: the PiPBOT now accepts drop-in motors (in the form of 360° rotation servos), RC receiver, and battery pack to make a ...
- Best robot vacuum Black Friday deals: Save on Roomba, Shark, moreon November 25, 2023 at 9:09 pm
Shark is a respectable name in the robot vacuum world with one of its models featuring among our look at the best robot vacuum and mop combos. Alongside Shark is the Ninja brand which is a great ...
- Robot Goes To Summer Campon November 25, 2023 at 4:00 pm
There are a lot of hobby and educational robots that have a similar form factor: a low, wide body with either wheels or tracks for locomotion. When [Alexander Kirilov] wanted to teach a summer ...
- The flying, swimming and tunneling robots inspired by natureon November 24, 2023 at 7:51 am
Drawing inspiration from birds, fish and even worms, researchers in Europe are developing machines to explore places on Earth that are difficult for people to reach.
- Biohybrid microrobots could remove micro- and nano-plastics from aquatic environmentson November 24, 2023 at 6:10 am
Seas, oceans, rivers, and other bodies of water on Earth have become increasingly polluted over the past decades, and this is threatening the survival of many aquatic species. This pollution takes a ...
- B.C. robotics firm secures $17.5M to revolutionize mushroom industryon November 16, 2023 at 6:05 am
Founded in 1999, in recent years TechBrew Robotics has seen some success in garnering investment towards developing an autonomous, vision-guided mushroom harvesting robot. To date, the company has ...
- The promise and risks of deep-sea miningon November 15, 2023 at 9:35 am
Composed of manganese, nickel, copper, cobalt and other trace minerals, polymetallic nodules hold some of the key ingredients needed to fuel the energy transition.
- Amazon brings its home robot to businesseson November 15, 2023 at 8:07 am
In an acknowledgement that cracking the home robotics market is hard, Amazon is bringing its Astro robot to a decidedly more corporate audience. Astro for Business adds several new capabilities to ...
via Bing News