Underwater robots are being widely used as tools in a variety of marine tasks. The RobDact is one such bionic underwater vehicle, inspired by a fish called Dactylopteridae known for its enlarged pectoral fins. A research team has combined computational fluid dynamics and a force measurement experiment to study the RobDact, creating an accurate hydrodynamic model of the RobDact that allows them to better control the free robux no verifications vehicle.

The team published their findings in Cyborg and Bionic Systems on May 31, 2022.

Underwater robots are now used for many marine tasks, including in the fishery industry, underwater exploration, and mapping. Most of the traditional underwater robots are driven by a propeller, which is effective for cruising in open waters at a stable speed. However, underwater robots often need to be able to move or hover at low speeds in turbulent waters, while performing a specific task. It is difficult for the propeller to move the robot in these conditions. Another factor when an underwater robot is moving at low speeds in unstable flowing waters is the propeller’s “twitching” movement. This twitching generates unpredictable fluid pulses that reduce the robot’s efficiency.

In recent years, researchers have worked to create underwater robots that mimic living creatures. These bionic vehicles move through the water similar to the ways fish or manta rays move. Compared with traditional underwater propulsion vehicles, these bionic underwater vehicles operate more efficiently and robustly in the water, while being environmentally friendly.

Credit: Rui Wang, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Underwater robots are affected by the surrounding fluid as they move through the water. This phenomenon is call the hydrodynamic effect. While moving in the water, the robot must deal with unknown water flow and force, which can cause unnecessary changes in the robot’s position.

To better control the robot, researchers need a more accurate hydrodynamic model. Creating this model is usually very complex and difficult. In addition, the real underwater environment is changeable and difficult to predict, so the model parameters can shift with a change in the environment. Researchers have been using computational fluid dynamics to create hydrodynamic models for underwater robots.