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Prakash A, Nair AR, Arunav H, P R R, Akhil VM, Tawk C, Shankar KV. Bioinspiration and biomimetics in marine robotics: a review on current applications and future trends. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2024; 19:031002. [PMID: 38467071 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ad3265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Over the past few years, the research community has witnessed a burgeoning interest in biomimetics, particularly within the marine sector. The study of biomimicry as a revolutionary remedy for numerous commercial and research-based marine businesses has been spurred by the difficulties presented by the harsh maritime environment. Biomimetic marine robots are at the forefront of this innovation by imitating various structures and behaviors of marine life and utilizing the evolutionary advantages and adaptations these marine organisms have developed over millennia to thrive in harsh conditions. This thorough examination explores current developments and research efforts in biomimetic marine robots based on their propulsion mechanisms. By examining these biomimetic designs, the review aims to solve the mysteries buried in the natural world and provide vital information for marine improvements. In addition to illuminating the complexities of these bio-inspired mechanisms, the investigation helps to steer future research directions and possible obstacles, spurring additional advancements in the field of biomimetic marine robotics. Considering the revolutionary potential of using nature's inventiveness to navigate and thrive in one of the most challenging environments on Earth, the current review's conclusion urges a multidisciplinary approach by integrating robotics and biology. The field of biomimetic marine robotics not only represents a paradigm shift in our relationship with the oceans, but it also opens previously unimaginable possibilities for sustainable exploration and use of marine resources by understanding and imitating nature's solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amal Prakash
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, India
| | - Arjun R Nair
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, India
| | - H Arunav
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, India
| | - Rthuraj P R
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, India
| | - V M Akhil
- School of Interdisciplinary Research, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, India
| | - Charbel Tawk
- Department of Industrial and Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Karthik V Shankar
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, India
- Centre for Flexible Electronics and Advanced Materials, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, India
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2
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Recent Progress in Modeling and Control of Bio-Inspired Fish Robots. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse10060773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Compared with traditional underwater vehicles, bio-inspired fish robots have the advantages of high efficiency, high maneuverability, low noise, and minor fluid disturbance. Therefore, they have gained an increasing research interest, which has led to a great deal of remarkable progress theoretically and practically in recent years. In this review, we first highlight our enhanced scientific understanding of bio-inspired propulsion and sensing underwater and then present the research progress and performance characteristics of different bio-inspired robot fish, classified by the propulsion method. Like the natural fish species they imitate, different types of bionic fish have different morphological structures and distinctive hydrodynamic properties. In addition, we select two pioneering directions about soft robotic control and multi-phase robotics. The hybrid dynamic control of soft robotic systems combines the accuracy of model-based control and the efficiency of model-free control, and is considered the proper way to optimize the classical control model with the intersection of multiple machine learning algorithms. Multi-phase robots provide a broader scope of application compared to ordinary bionic robot fish, with the ability of operating in air or on land outside the fluid. By introducing recent progress in related fields, we summarize the advantages and challenges of soft robotic control and multi-phase robotics, guiding the further development of bionic aquatic robots.
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3
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Uddin MI, Garcia GA, Curet OM. Force scaling and efficiency of elongated median fin propulsion. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2022; 17:046004. [PMID: 35366647 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ac6375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Several fishes swim by undulating a thin and elongated median fin while the body is mostly kept straight, allowing them to perform forward and directional maneuvers. We used a robotic vessel with similar fin propulsion to determine the thrust scaling and efficiency. Using precise force and swimming kinematics measurements with the robotic vessel, the thrust generated by the undulating fin was found to scale with the square of the relative velocity between the free streaming flow and the wave speed. A hydrodynamic efficiency is presented based on propulsive force measurements and modelling of the power required to oscillate the fin laterally. It was found that the propulsive efficiency has a broadly high performance versus swimming speed, with a maximum efficiency of 75%. An expression to calculate the swimming speed over wave speed was found to depend on two parameters:Ap/Ae(ratio between body frontal area to fin swept area) andCD/Cx(ratio of body drag to fin thrust coefficient). The models used to calculate propulsive force and free-swimming speed were compared with experimental results. The broader impacts of these results are discussed in relation to morphology and the function of undulating fin swimmers. In particular, we suggest that the ratio of fin and body height found in natural swimmers could be due to a trade-off between swimming efficiency and swimming speed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad I Uddin
- Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States of America
| | - Gonzalo A Garcia
- Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States of America
| | - Oscar M Curet
- Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States of America
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4
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Hawkins OH, Ortega-Jimenez VM, Sanford CP. Knifefish turning control and hydrodynamics during forward swimming. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274541. [PMID: 35217876 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Rapid turning and swimming contribute to ecologically important behaviors in fishes such as predator avoidance, prey capture, mating, and the navigation of complex environments. For riverine species, such as knifefishes, turning behaviors may also be important for navigating locomotive perturbations caused by turbulent flows. Most research on fish maneuvering focuses on fish with traditional fin and body morphologies, which primarily use body bending and the pectoral fins during turning. However, it is uncertain how fishes with uncommon morphologies, are able to achieve sudden and controllable turns. Here we studied the turning performance and the turning hydrodynamics of the Black ghost knifefish (Apteronotus albifrons, N=6) which has an atypical elongated ribbon fin. Fish were filmed while swimming forward at ∼2 BL s-1 and feeding from a fixed feeder (control) and an oscillating feeder (75 Hz) at two different amplitudes. 3D kinematic analysis of the body revealed the highest pitch angles and lowest body bending coefficients occurred during steady swimming. Low pitch angle, high maximum yaw angles and large body bending coefficients were characteristic of small and large turns. Asynchrony in pectoral fin use was low during turning, however ribbon fin wavelength, frequency, and wave speed were greatest during large turns. Digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) showed larger counter-rotating vortex pairs produced during turning by the ribbon-fin in comparison to vortices rotating in the same direction during steady swimming. Our results highlight the ribbon fin's role in controlled rapid turning through modulation of wavelength, frequency, and wave speed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia H Hawkins
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology. Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA.,Department of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA, USA
| | - Victor M Ortega-Jimenez
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Chris P Sanford
- Research and Sponsored Programs, California State University, Northridge, CA, USA
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5
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Giammona FF. Form and function of the caudal fin throughout the phylogeny of fishes. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:550-572. [PMID: 34114010 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Fishes are the longest persisting living vertebrates and as such, display an incredible array of diversity. Variation in the tail, or caudal fin, is often a reflection of a fish's environment, and affects movement, predation, defense, and reproduction. Previous literature has discussed many aspects of caudal fin form and function in particular taxonomic groups; however, no previous work has synthesized these studies in order to detail how the caudal fin is structured, and what purpose this structure serves, throughout the phylogeny of fishes. This review examines the caudal fin throughout the main lineages of fish evolution, and highlights where changes in shape and usage have occurred. Such novelties in form and function tend to have far-reaching evolutionary consequences. Through integration of past and present work, this review creates a coherent picture of caudal fin evolution. Patterns and outliers that demonstrate how form and function of this appendage are intertwined can further inform hypotheses that fill critical gaps in knowledge concerning the caudal fin.
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6
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Gilbert MC, Conith AJ, Lerose CS, Moyer JK, Huskey SH, Albertson RC. Extreme Morphology, Functional Trade-offs, and Evolutionary Dynamics in a Clade of Open-Ocean Fishes (Perciformes: Bramidae). Integr Org Biol 2021; 3:obab003. [PMID: 33937628 PMCID: PMC8077895 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obab003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
When novel or extreme morphologies arise, they are oft met with the burden of functional trade-offs in other aspects of anatomy, which may limit phenotypic diversification and make particular adaptive peaks inaccessible. Bramids (Perciformes: Bramidae) comprise a small family of 20 extant species of fishes, which are distributed throughout pelagic waters worldwide. Within the Bramidae, the fanfishes (Pteraclis and Pterycombus) differ morphologically from the generally stout, laterally compressed species that typify the family. Instead, Pteraclis and Pterycombus exhibit extreme anterior positioning of the dorsal fin onto the craniofacial skeleton. Consequently, they possess fin and skull anatomies that are radically different from other bramid species. Here, we investigate the anatomy, development, and evolution of the Bramidae to test the hypothesis that morphological innovations come at functional (proximate) and evolutionary (ultimate) costs. Addressing proximate effects, we find that the development of an exaggerated dorsal fin is associated with neurocrania modified to accommodate an anterior expansion of the dorsal fin. This occurs via reduced development of the supraoccipital crest (SOC), providing a broad surface area on the skull for insertion of the dorsal fin musculature. While these anatomical shifts are presumably associated with enhanced maneuverability in fanfishes, they are also predicted to result in compromised suction feeding, possibly limiting the mechanisms of feeding in this group. Phylogenetic analyses suggest craniofacial and fin morphologies of fanfishes evolved rapidly and are evolutionarily correlated across bramids. Furthermore, fanfishes exhibit a similar rate of lineage diversification as the rest of the Bramidae, lending little support for the prediction that exaggerated medial fins are associated with phylogenetic constraint. Our phylogeny places fanfishes at the base of the Bramidae and suggests that nonfanfish bramids have reduced medial fins and re-evolved SOCs. These observations suggest that the evolution of novel fin morphologies in basal species has led to the phylogenetic coupling of head and fin shape, possibly predisposing the entire family to a limited range of feeding. Thus, the evolution of extreme morphologies may have carryover effects, even after the morphology is lost, limiting ecological diversification of lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle C Gilbert
- Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Andrew J Conith
- Biology Department, Morrill Science Center, University of Massachusetts, 611 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Catherine S Lerose
- Biology Department, Morrill Science Center, University of Massachusetts, 611 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Joshua K Moyer
- Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Steve H Huskey
- Biology Department, Western Kentucky University, 1906 College Heights Boulevard, Bowling Green, KY 42101, USA
| | - R Craig Albertson
- Biology Department, Morrill Science Center, University of Massachusetts, 611 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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7
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Cawley JJ, Marramà G, Carnevale G, Villafaña JA, López-Romero FA, Kriwet J. Rise and fall of †Pycnodontiformes: Diversity, competition and extinction of a successful fish clade. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:1769-1796. [PMID: 33614003 PMCID: PMC7882952 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
†Pycnodontiformes was a successful lineage of primarily marine fishes that broadly diversified during the Mesozoic. They possessed a wide variety of body shapes and were adapted to a broad range of food sources. Two other neopterygian clades possessing similar ecological adaptations in both body morphology (†Dapediiformes) and dentition (Ginglymodi) also occurred in Mesozoic seas. Although these groups occupied the same marine ecosystems, the role that competitive exclusion and niche partitioning played in their ability to survive alongside each other remains unknown. Using geometric morphometrics on both the lower jaw (as constraint for feeding adaptation) and body shape (as constraint for habitat adaptation), we show that while dapediiforms and ginglymodians occupy similar lower jaw morphospace, pycnodontiforms are completely separate. Separation also occurs between the clades in body shape so that competition reduction between pycnodontiforms and the other two clades would have resulted in niche partitioning. Competition within pycnodontiforms seemingly was reduced further by evolving different feeding strategies as shown by disparate jaw shapes that also indicate high levels of plasticity. Acanthomorpha was a teleostean clade that evolved later in the Mesozoic and which has been regarded as implicated in driving the pycnodontiforms to extinction. Although they share similar body shapes, no coeval acanthomorphs had similar jaw shapes or dentitions for dealing with hard prey like pycnodontiforms do and so their success being a factor in pycnodontiform extinction is unlikely. Sea surface temperature and eustatic variations also had no impact on pycnodontiform diversity patterns according to our results. Conversely, the occurrence and number of available reefs and hardgrounds as habitats through time seems to be the main factor in pycnodontiform success. Decline in such habitats during the Late Cretaceous and Palaeogene might have had deleterious consequences for pycnodontiform diversity. Acanthomorphs occupied the niches of pycnodontiforms during the terminal phase of their existence.
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Affiliation(s)
- John J Cawley
- Faculty of Earth Science, Geography and Astronomy Department of Palaeontology University of Vienna Geozentrum Vienna Austria
| | - Giuseppe Marramà
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Università degli Studi di Torino Torino Italy
| | - Giorgio Carnevale
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra Università degli Studi di Torino Torino Italy
| | - Jaime A Villafaña
- Faculty of Earth Science, Geography and Astronomy Department of Palaeontology University of Vienna Geozentrum Vienna Austria.,Centro de Investigación en Recursos Naturales y Sustentabilidad Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins Santiago Chile.,Paleontological Institute and Museum University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Faviel A López-Romero
- Faculty of Earth Science, Geography and Astronomy Department of Palaeontology University of Vienna Geozentrum Vienna Austria
| | - Jürgen Kriwet
- Faculty of Earth Science, Geography and Astronomy Department of Palaeontology University of Vienna Geozentrum Vienna Austria
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8
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Oufiero CE, Kraskura K, Bennington R, Nelson JA. Individual Repeatability of Locomotor Kinematics and Swimming Performance in a Gymnotiform Swimmer. Physiol Biochem Zool 2020; 94:22-34. [PMID: 33275536 DOI: 10.1086/712058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AbstractGymnotiform swimming is a specialized form of swimming wherein thrust is produced by the ribbonlike motion of an elongate anal fin, while the body is held relatively stiff. This form of swimming has been extensively examined in relation to the biomechanics of thrust production, the kinematics of the anal fin, and neuromuscular control, whereas few studies have examined whole-animal performance parameters of this swimming mode. The goals of this research were to (1) assess the maximum abilities and repeatability of two swimming performance measures, sprinting and prolonged swimming, which would indicate that these performance measures in a gymnotiform swimmer may be a target for selection, similar to body-caudal fin-swimming fish; (2) examine how a gymnotiform swimmer modulates swimming speed; and (3) determine whether modulatory behavior is consistent across different-sized fish and within individuals across time. Sprinting and prolonged swimming were examined in black ghost knifefish (Apteronotus albifrons; N=15), multiple times on the same day, and were measured again 4 wk later. Sprinting ability was measured by chasing a fish down a photocell-lined racetrack and obtaining the fastest speed between any 8-cm span. Prolonged swimming abilities were measured in a constant acceleration test (Ucat) in a Brett-style swim tunnel by measuring the maximum speed the fish could attain against a steadily increasing water velocity. We determined frequency, wavelength, and amplitude of the anal fin sine wave in fish swimming at different speeds during the Ucat trials. We found repeatable measures of sprint speed and Ucat performance over short (day) and medium (4 wk) time periods for both tests. Neither sprint nor Ucat performance was significantly dependent on size, suggesting that the primary driver of performance variation was individual differences in physiology. Most modulation of swimming speed occurred through changes in the frequency of the wave train processing down the anal fin, with only modest changes to the wavelength and minimal changes to amplitude. Finally, we compare our measures of swimming performance in this gymnotiform swimmer to published values of body-caudal fin swimmers to demonstrate that this form of locomotion results in comparable sprint and constant-acceleration values.
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9
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Seamone S, McCaffrey T, Syme D. Disc starts: the pectoral disc of stingrays promotes omnidirectional fast starts across the substrate. CAN J ZOOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2018-0054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
We explored how the flattened and rounded pectoral disc of the ocellate river stingray (Potamotrygon motoro (Müller and Henle, 1841)) enables them to use the benthic plane during fast-start escape. Escape responses were elicited via prodding different locations around the pectoral disc and were recorded using video. Modulation of pectoral-fin movements that power swimming enabled omnidirectional escape across the substrate, with similar performance in all directions of escape. Hence, translation of the body did not necessarily have to follow the orientation of the head, overcoming the constraint of a rigid body axis. An increase in prod speed was associated with an increase in initial translational speed and acceleration away from the prod. As prod location shifted towards the snout, yaw rotation increased, eventually reorienting the fish into a forward swimming position away from the prod. Furthermore, P. motoro yawed with essentially zero turning radius, allowing reorientation of the head with simultaneous rapid translation away from the prod, and yaw rate during escape was substantially greater than reported during routine swimming for stingrays. We conclude that stingrays employ a distinctive approach to escape along the substrate, which we have termed disc starts, that results in effective manoeuvrability across the benthic environment despite limited longitudinal flexibility of the body and that challenges the concept of manoeuvrability typically used for fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- S.G. Seamone
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - T.M. McCaffrey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - D.A. Syme
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
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10
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English I, Liu H, Curet OM. Robotic device shows lack of momentum enhancement for gymnotiform swimmers. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2019; 14:024001. [PMID: 30562723 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/aaf983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Many fish generate thrust by undulating one or multiple elongated fins while keeping their body straight. This propulsion mechanism has stimulated interest in both biology and bio-inspired marine propulsion because its maneuverability and efficiency at low speed. Analytical studies have found that a fin attached to a rigid flat body can produce substantially higher thrust compared to a fin without a body, three- to four-fold for natural swimmers. However, this momentum enhancement has not been confirmed experimentally. In this work, a robotic ribbon fin model with an adjustable-height body was used to test the momentum enhancement for gymontiform swimmers where the undulating fin runs along the ventral side of the body. In a series of experiments, the force generated by the robotic device was measured as the body height of the robot, the undulating fin frequency and the flow speed were changed. It was found that the thrust generated by the ribbon fin is not affected by the presence of a body, thereby resulting in no momentum enhancement due to the fin-body interaction. These results suggest that if there is a benefit at a specific fin-body height ratio of the fishes, the momentum enhancement is not the reason. This result has broader implications in understanding the evolutionary adaption of undulatory fin propulsion and underwater vehicles designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian English
- Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, United States of America
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11
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Whitlow KR, Santini F, Oufiero CE. Convergent evolution of locomotor morphology but not performance in gymnotiform swimmers. J Evol Biol 2018; 32:76-88. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Revised: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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12
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Liu H, Curet O. Swimming performance of a bio-inspired robotic vessel with undulating fin propulsion. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2018; 13:056006. [PMID: 29911657 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/aacd26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Undulatory fin propulsion exhibits a high degree of maneuver control-an ideal feature for underwater vessels exploring complex environments. In this work, we developed and tested a self-contained, free-swimming robot with a single undulating fin running along the length of the robot, which controls both forward motion and directional maneuvers. We successfully replicated several maneuvers including forward swimming, reversed motion, diving, station-keeping and vertical swimming. For each maneuver, a series of experiments was performed as a function of fin frequency, wavelength and traveling wave direction to measure swimming velocities, orientation angles and mean power consumption. In addition, 3D flow fields were measured during forward swimming and station-keeping using volumetric particle image velocimetry (PIV). The efficiency for forward swimming was compared using three metrics: cost of transport, wave efficiency and Strouhal number (St). The results indicate that the cost of transport exhibits a V-shape trend with the minimum value at low swimming velocity. The robot reaches optimal wave efficiency and locomotor performance at a range of 0.2-0.4 St. Volumetric PIV data reveal the shed of vortex tubes generated by the fin during forward swimming and station keeping. For forward swimming, a series of vortex tubes are shed off the fin edge with a lateral and downward direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the fin. For station keeping, flow measurements suggest that the vortex tubes are shed at the mid-section of the fin while the posterior and anterior segment of the vortex stay attached to the fin. These results agree with the previous vortex structures based on simulations and 2D PIV. The development of this vessel with high maneuverability and station keeping performance has applications for oceanography, coastal exploration, defense, the oil industry and other marine industries where operations are unsafe or impractical for divers or human-piloted vessels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanlin Liu
- Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, United States of America
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13
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Fox CH, Gibb AC, Summers AP, Bemis WE. Benthic walking, bounding, and maneuvering in flatfishes (Pleuronectiformes: Pleuronectidae): New vertebrate gaits. ZOOLOGY 2018; 130:19-29. [PMID: 30502835 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2018.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Revised: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Video-based observations of voluntary movements reveal that six species of pleuronectid flatfishes use sequential portions of long-based dorsal and anal fins as "feet" (hereafter, fin-feet) to move on the substrate. All six species used a gait that we term "walking," which produced constant forward movement, and several of these species also used a second gait that we call "bounding" for intermittent movements over the substrate. We selected Pacific Sand Sole, Psettichthys melanostictus, and English Sole, Parophrys vetulus, for kinematic analyses of these two gaits. Psettichthys melanostictus consistently used walking for benthic locomotion; Parophrys vetulus primarily used a bounding gait. During forward walking, a fin ray swings up off the substrate, protracts and converges with neighboring fin rays to contribute to a fin-foot. The fin-foot pushes down on the substrate and rotates posteriorly by sequential recruitment of fin rays, a pattern known as a metachronal wave. As one fin-foot passes off the posterior end of the fin, a new fin-foot forms anteriorly. During bounding, undulations of the body and tail assist one or two waves of fin-feet, producing rapid but intermittent forward acceleration of the body. Flatfishes also use fin-feet to maneuver on the substrate. The Starry Flounder, Platichthys stellatus, performs near zero displacement rotation by running waves of fin-feet in opposing directions along the dorsal and anal fins. Although other teleosts use specialized pectoral fin rays for bottom walking (e.g., Sea Robins: Triglidae), the duplication of structures and patterns of movement in the median fins of flatfishes more closely resembles metachronal motions of millipede feet or the parapodia of polychaete worms. Sequential use of median fin rays in flatfishes resembles that of other teleosts that swim with elongate median fins, including Amiiformes, Gymnotiformes, and some Tetraodontiformes, but flatfishes offer a novel form of substrate locomotion based on dorsal and anal fins.
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Affiliation(s)
- C H Fox
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Corson Hall, 215 Tower Rd., Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
| | - A C Gibb
- Friday Harbor Laboratories, 614-698 University Rd., University of Washington, Friday Harbor, WA, 98250, USA.
| | - A P Summers
- Department of Biological Sciences, 617 South Beaver St., Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA.
| | - W E Bemis
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates, Corson Hall, 215 Tower Rd., Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
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14
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Liu H, Curet OM. Propulsive performance of an under-actuated robotic ribbon fin. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2017; 12:036015. [PMID: 28481218 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/aa7184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Many aquatic animals propelled by elongated undulatory fins can perform complex maneuvers and swim with high efficiency at low speeds. In this propulsion, one or multiple waves travel along an elastic fin composed of flexible rays. In this study, we explore the potential benefits or disadvantages of passive fin motion based on the coupling of fluid-structure interactions and elasto-mechanical responses of the undulatory fin. The motivation is to understand how an under-actuated undulating fin can modify its active and passive fin motion to effectively control the hydrodynamic force and propulsive efficiency. We study the kinematics and propulsive performance of an under-actuated ribbon fin using a robotic device. During two experimental sets for fully-actuated fin and under-actuated fin respectively, we measured fin kinematics, surge forces and power consumption. Our results show that under-actuated fin can generate smaller thrust but consume less power comparing to a fully-actuated counterpart. The thrust generated by an under-actuated fin scales similarly to a fully-actuated fin-linear with the enclosed area and quadratic with the relative velocity. Power consumption scales with cube of lateral tangential velocity. Furthermore, we find that the under-actuated fin can keep the same propulsive efficiency as the fully-actuated fin at low relative velocities. This finding has profound implications to both natural swimmers and underwater vehicles using undulating fin-based propulsion, as it suggests that they can potentially exploit passive fin motion without decrementing propulsive efficiency. For underwater vehicles with undulatory fins, an under-actuated design can greatly simplify the mechanical design and control complexity of a versatile propulsion system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanlin Liu
- Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States of America
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Liu H, Taylor B, Curet OM. Fin Ray Stiffness and Fin Morphology Control Ribbon-Fin-Based Propulsion. Soft Robot 2017; 4:103-116. [DOI: 10.1089/soro.2016.0040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hanlin Liu
- Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida
| | - Bevan Taylor
- Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida
| | - Oscar M. Curet
- Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida
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16
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Kane EA, Higham TE. Complex Systems Are More than the Sum of Their Parts: Using Integration to Understand Performance, Biomechanics, and Diversity. Integr Comp Biol 2015; 55:146-65. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icv033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
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17
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Abstract
Research on fish locomotion has expanded greatly in recent years as new approaches have been brought to bear on a classical field of study. Detailed analyses of patterns of body and fin motion and the effects of these movements on water flow patterns have helped scientists understand the causes and effects of hydrodynamic patterns produced by swimming fish. Recent developments include the study of the center-of-mass motion of swimming fish and the use of volumetric imaging systems that allow three-dimensional instantaneous snapshots of wake flow patterns. The large numbers of swimming fish in the oceans and the vorticity present in fin and body wakes support the hypothesis that fish contribute significantly to the mixing of ocean waters. New developments in fish robotics have enhanced understanding of the physical principles underlying aquatic propulsion and allowed intriguing biological features, such as the structure of shark skin, to be studied in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- George V Lauder
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138;
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Locomotion of free-swimming ghost knifefish: anal fin kinematics during four behaviors. ZOOLOGY 2014; 117:337-48. [PMID: 25043841 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2014.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2014] [Accepted: 04/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The maneuverability demonstrated by the weakly electric ghost knifefish (Apteronotus albifrons) is a result of its highly flexible ribbon-like anal fin, which extends nearly three-quarters the length of its body and is composed of approximately 150 individual fin rays. To understand how movement of the anal fin controls locomotion we examined kinematics of the whole fin, as well as selected individual fin rays, during four locomotor behaviors executed by free-swimming ghost knifefish: forward swimming, backward swimming, heave (vertical) motion, and hovering. We used high-speed video (1000 fps) to examine the motion of the entire anal fin and we measured the three-dimensional curvature of four adjacent fin rays in the middle of the fin during each behavior to determine how individual fin rays bend along their length during swimming. Canonical discriminant analysis separated all four behaviors on anal fin kinematic variables and showed that forward and backward swimming behaviors contrasted the most: forward behaviors exhibited a large anterior wavelength and posterior amplitude while during backward locomotion the anal fin exhibited both a large posterior wavelength and anterior amplitude. Heave and hover behaviors were defined by similar kinematic variables; however, for each variable, the mean values for heave motions were generally greater than for hovering. Individual fin rays in the middle of the anal fin curved substantially along their length during swimming, and the magnitude of this curvature was nearly twice the previously measured maximum curvature for ray-finned fish fin rays during locomotion. Fin rays were often curved into the direction of motion, indicating active control of fin ray curvature, and not just passive bending in response to fluid loading.
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