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Celi N, Cai J, Sun H, Feng L, Zhang D, Gong D. Biohybrid Flexible Sperm-like Microrobot for Targeted Chemo-Photothermal Therapy. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024. [PMID: 38687629 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c02836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Magnetic micro/nanorobots are promising platforms for targeted drug delivery, and their construction with soft and flexible features has received extensive attention for practical applications. Despite significant efforts in this field, facile fabrication of magnetic microrobots with flexible structures and versatility in targeted therapy remains a big challenge. Herein, we proposed a novel universal strategy to fabricate a biohybrid flexible sperm-like microrobot (BFSM) based on a Chlorella (Ch.) cell and artificial flagella, which showed great potential for targeted chemo-photothermal therapy for the first time. In this approach, microspherical Ch. cells were utilized to construct the microrobotic heads, which were intracellularly deposited with core-shell Pd@Au, extracellularly magnetized with Fe3O4, and further loaded with anticancer drug. The magnetic heads with excellent photothermal and chemotherapeutic capability were further assembled with flexible polypyrrole nanowires via biotin-streptavidin bonding to construct the BFSMs. Based on the exquisite head-to-tail structures, the BFSMs could be effectively propelled under precessing magnetic fields and move back and forth without a U-turn. Moreover, in vitro chemo-photothermal tests were conducted to verify their performance of targeted drug delivery toward localized HeLa cells. Due to this superior versatility and facile fabrication, the BFSMs demonstrated great potential for targeted anticancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuoer Celi
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Jun Cai
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Hongyan Sun
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Lin Feng
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Deyuan Zhang
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - De Gong
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
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2
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Yang Y, Ai C, Chen W, Zhen J, Kong X, Jiang Y. Recent Advances in Sources of Bio-Inspiration and Materials for Robotics and Actuators. SMALL METHODS 2023; 7:e2300338. [PMID: 37381685 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202300338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Bionic robotics and actuators have made dramatic advancements in structural design, material preparation, and application owing to the richness of nature and innovative material design. Appropriate and ingenious sources of bio-inspiration can stimulate a large number of different bionic systems. After millennia of survival and evolutionary exploration, the mere existence of life confirms that nature is constantly moving in an evolutionary direction of optimization and improvement. To this end, bio-inspired robots and actuators can be constructed for the completion of a variety of artificial design instructions and requirements. In this article, the advances in bio-inspired materials for robotics and actuators with the sources of bio-inspiration are reviewed. The specific sources of inspiration in bionic systems and corresponding bio-inspired applications are summarized first. Then the basic functions of materials in bio-inspired robots and actuators is discussed. Moreover, a principle of matching biomaterials is creatively suggested. Furthermore, the implementation of biological information extraction is discussed, and the preparation methods of bionic materials are reclassified. Finally, the challenges and potential opportunities involved in finding sources of bio-inspiration and materials for robotics and actuators in the future is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Yang
- Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Heavy Machinery Fluid Power Transmission and Control, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, 066004, P.R. China
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, 066004, P.R. China
| | - Chao Ai
- Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Heavy Machinery Fluid Power Transmission and Control, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, 066004, P.R. China
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, 066004, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Forging & Stamping Technology and Science (Yanshan University), Ministry of Education of China, Qinhuangdao, 066004, P.R. China
| | - Wenting Chen
- Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Heavy Machinery Fluid Power Transmission and Control, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, 066004, P.R. China
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, 066004, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Forging & Stamping Technology and Science (Yanshan University), Ministry of Education of China, Qinhuangdao, 066004, P.R. China
| | - Jinpeng Zhen
- Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Heavy Machinery Fluid Power Transmission and Control, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, 066004, P.R. China
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, 066004, P.R. China
| | - Xiangdong Kong
- Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Heavy Machinery Fluid Power Transmission and Control, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, 066004, P.R. China
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, 066004, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Forging & Stamping Technology and Science (Yanshan University), Ministry of Education of China, Qinhuangdao, 066004, P.R. China
| | - Yunhong Jiang
- Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment, Department of Applied Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle, NE1 8ST, UK
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Zhang Y, Kong D, Shi Y, Cai M, Yu Q, Li S, Wang K, Liu C. Recent progress on underwater soft robots: adhesion, grabbing, actuating, and sensing. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1196922. [PMID: 37614630 PMCID: PMC10442648 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1196922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The research on biomimetic robots, especially soft robots with flexible materials as the main structure, is constantly being explored. It integrates multi-disciplinary content, such as bionics, material science, mechatronics engineering, and control theory, and belongs to the cross-disciplinary field related to mechanical bionics and biological manufacturing. With the continuous development of various related disciplines, this area has become a hot research field. Particularly with the development of practical technologies such as 3D printing technology, shape memory alloy, piezoelectric materials, and hydrogels at the present stage, the functions and forms of soft robots are constantly being further developed, and a variety of new soft robots keep emerging. Soft robots, combined with their own materials or structural characteristics of large deformation, have almost unlimited degrees of freedom (DoF) compared with rigid robots, which also provide a more reliable structural basis for soft robots to adapt to the natural environment. Therefore, soft robots will have extremely strong adaptability in some special conditions. As a type of robot made of flexible materials, the changeable pose structure of soft robots is especially suitable for the large application environment of the ocean. Soft robots working underwater can better mimic the movement characteristics of marine life in the hope of achieving more complex underwater tasks. The main focus of this paper is to classify different types of underwater organisms according to their common motion modes, focusing on the achievements of some bionic mechanisms in different functional fields that have imitated various motion modes underwater in recent years (e.g., the underwater sucking glove, the underwater Gripper, and the self-powered soft robot). The development of various task types (e.g., grasping, adhesive, driving or swimming, and sensing functions) and mechanism realization forms of the underwater soft robot are described based on this article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeming Zhang
- School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, China
| | - Demin Kong
- School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, China
| | - Yan Shi
- School of Automation Science and Electrical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Maolin Cai
- School of Automation Science and Electrical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Qihui Yu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, China
| | - Shuping Li
- School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, China
| | - Kai Wang
- School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, China
| | - Chuangchuang Liu
- School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, China
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Li G, Liu G, Leng D, Fang X, Li G, Wang W. Underwater Undulating Propulsion Biomimetic Robots: A Review. Biomimetics (Basel) 2023; 8:318. [PMID: 37504206 PMCID: PMC10807579 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics8030318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The traditional propeller-based propulsion of underwater robots is inefficient and poorly adapted to practice. By contrast, underwater biomimetic robots show better stability and maneuverability in harsh marine environments. This is particularly true of undulating propulsion biomimetic robots. This paper classifies the existing underwater biomimetic robots and outlines their main contributions to the field. The propulsion mechanisms of underwater biomimetic undulating robots are summarized based on theoretical, numerical and experimental studies. Future perspectives on underwater biomimetic undulating robots are also presented, filling the gaps in the existing literature.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Guijie Liu
- Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266000, China; (G.L.)
| | - Dingxin Leng
- Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266000, China; (G.L.)
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Pramanik R, Verstappen RWCP, Onck PR. Magnetic-field-induced propulsion of jellyfish-inspired soft robotic swimmers. Phys Rev E 2023; 107:014607. [PMID: 36797941 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.107.014607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The multifaceted appearance of soft robots in the form of swimmers, catheters, surgical devices, and drug-carrier vehicles in biomedical and microfluidic applications is ubiquitous today. Jellyfish-inspired soft robotic swimmers (jellyfishbots) have been fabricated and experimentally characterized by several researchers that reported their swimming kinematics and multimodal locomotion. However, the underlying physical mechanisms that govern magnetic-field-induced propulsion are not yet fully understood. Here, we use a robust and efficient computational framework to study the jellyfishbot swimming kinematics and the induced flow field dynamics through numerical simulation. We consider a two-dimensional model jellyfishbot that has flexible lappets, which are symmetric about the jellyfishbot center. These lappets exhibit flexural deformation when subjected to external magnetic fields to displace the surrounding fluid, thereby generating the thrust required for propulsion. We perform a parametric sweep to explore the jellyfishbot kinematic performance for different system parameters-structural, fluidic, and magnetic. In jellyfishbots, the soft magnetic composite elastomeric lappets exhibit temporal and spatial asymmetries when subjected to unsteady external magnetic fields. The average speed is observed to be dependent on both these asymmetries, quantified by the glide magnitude and the net area swept by the lappet tips per swimming cycle, respectively. We observe that a judicious choice of the applied magnetic field and remnant magnetization profile in the jellyfishbot lappets enhances both these asymmetries. Furthermore, the dependence of the jellyfishbot swimming speed upon the net area swept (spatial asymmetry) is twice as high as the dependence of speed on the glide ratio (temporal asymmetry). Finally, functional relationships between the swimming speed and different kinematic parameters and nondimensional numbers are developed. Our results provide guidelines for the design of improved jellyfish-inspired magnetic soft robotic swimmers.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Pramanik
- Computational and Numerical Mathematics Group, Bernoulli Institute for Mathematics, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, University of Groningen, Netherlands
- Micromechanics Group, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Netherlands
| | - R W C P Verstappen
- Computational and Numerical Mathematics Group, Bernoulli Institute for Mathematics, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, University of Groningen, Netherlands
| | - P R Onck
- Micromechanics Group, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Netherlands
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Active Colloids on Fluid Interfaces. Curr Opin Colloid Interface Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cocis.2022.101629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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7
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Modeling and Control of IPMC-Based Artificial Eukaryotic Flagellum Swimming Robot: Distributed Actuation. ALGORITHMS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/a15060181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) are electrically driven materials that undergo bending deformations in the presence of relatively low external voltages, exhibiting a great potential as actuators in applications in soft robotics, microrobotics, and bioengineering, among others. This paper presents an artificial eukaryotic flagellum (AEF) swimming robot made up of IPMC segments for the study of planar wave generation for robot propulsion by single and distributed actuation, i.e., considering the first flagellum link as an actuator or all of them, respectively. The robot comprises three independent and electrically isolated actuators, manufactured over the same 10 mm long IPMC sheet. For control purposes, a dynamic model of the robot is firstly obtained through its frequency response, acquired by experimentally measuring the flagellum tip deflection thanks to an optical laser meter. In particular, two structures are considered for such a model, consisting of a non-integer order integrator in series with a resonant system of both non-integer and integer order. Secondly, the identified models are analyzed and it is concluded that the tip displacement of each actuator or any IPMC point is characterized by the same dynamics, which remains unchanged through the link with mere variations of the gain for low-frequency applications. Based on these results, a controller robust to gain variations is tuned to control link deflection regardless of link length and enabling the implementation of a distributed actuation with the same controller design. Finally, the deflection of each link is analyzed to determine whether an AEF swimming robot based on IPMC is capable of generating a planar wave motion by distributed actuation.
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Yan Z, Yang H, Zhang W, Gong Q, Lin F, Zhang Y. Bionic Fish Trajectory Tracking Based on a CPG and Model Predictive Control. J INTELL ROBOT SYST 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10846-022-01644-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Yin C, Wei F, Fu S, Zhai Z, Ge Z, Yao L, Jiang M, Liu M. Visible Light-Driven Jellyfish-like Miniature Swimming Soft Robot. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:47147-47154. [PMID: 34436851 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c13975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Soft actuators that exhibit large deformation and can move at a fast speed in response to external stimuli have been in high demand for biomimetic applications. In this paper, we propose a convenient approach to fabricate a reversible and thermal-responsive composite hydrogel. Under the irradiation of visible light, the striped hydrogel can bend at a speed of up to 65.72°/s with carbon nanotubes loaded at a concentration of 3 mg/mL. A jellyfish-like miniature soft robot is made using this hydrogel. When driven by visible light, the robot can move at a maximum speed of 3.37 mm/s. Besides swimming, other motion modes, including walking and jumping, are also achieved by the robot. In addition, the robot can perform directional transportation of tiny objects. As a new actuation approach for the research of jellyfish-like miniature soft robots, this work is of great significance to the development of flexible bionic robots. Moreover, this work also offers some important insights into the research of biomimetic robots driven by visible light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Yin
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Fuzhou University, Minhou County, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Fanan Wei
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Fuzhou University, Minhou County, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Shihan Fu
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Fuzhou University, Minhou County, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Zhushan Zhai
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Fuzhou University, Minhou County, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Zhixing Ge
- Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 114, Nanta Street, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Ligang Yao
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Fuzhou University, Minhou County, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Minlin Jiang
- Institute for Advanced Study, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330031, China
| | - Ming Liu
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Fuzhou University, Minhou County, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
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Liu J, Zhang C, Liu Z, Zhao R, An D, Wei Y, Wu Z, Yu J. Design and analysis of a novel tendon-driven continuum robotic dolphin. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2021; 16:065002. [PMID: 34433157 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ac2126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, a novel continuum robotic dolphin termed 'ConRoDolI' is proposed and developed. The biomimetic robot features dual tendon driving continuum mechanisms that are utilized to replicate the twisting and bending motions of the dolphin's caudal vertebrae and thoracic vertebrae. More importantly, a central pattern generator based kinematics is analyzed to yield stable dolphin-like swimming. In the meantime, the relationship between the backbone shape and both the tendon length as well as position and orientation are explored. Furthermore, multimodal swimming gaits are designed to pave the way for a three-dimensional (3D) swimming decoupling solution, involving forwarding swimming, multiple yaw patterns, and multiple pitch patterns. All of these endow the robotic dolphin with 3D maneuverability. Finally, extensive experiments demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed biomimetic mechatronic design and control approach. The forward swimming speed is 0.44 body lengths per second (BL/s). The steering radius of the robot is about 0.11 BL with an angular velocity of 10°/s and the diving speed is about 0.13 BL/s. The average propulsion efficiency is about 0.6 with the maximum is over 0.8. The obtained results shed light on the improvement of aquatic maneuverability associated with new-concept underwater vehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jincun Liu
- College of Information and Electrical Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, People's Republic of China
- National Innovation Centre for Digital Fishery, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, People's Republic of China
| | - Chi Zhang
- College of Information and Electrical Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, People's Republic of China
- National Innovation Centre for Digital Fishery, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenna Liu
- Shandong Labor Vocational and Technical College, Jinan 250022, People's Republic of China
| | - Ran Zhao
- College of Information and Electrical Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, People's Republic of China
- National Innovation Centre for Digital Fishery, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, People's Republic of China
| | - Dong An
- College of Information and Electrical Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, People's Republic of China
- National Innovation Centre for Digital Fishery, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, People's Republic of China
| | - Yaoguang Wei
- College of Information and Electrical Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, People's Republic of China
- National Innovation Centre for Digital Fishery, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhengxing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Management and Control for Complex Systems, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People's Republic of China
| | - Junzhi Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Turbulence and Complex Systems, Department of Advanced Manufacturing and Robotics, BIC-ESAT, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
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Observation and analysis of diving beetle movements while swimming. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16581. [PMID: 34400745 PMCID: PMC8368022 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96158-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The fast swimming speed, flexible cornering, and high propulsion efficiency of diving beetles are primarily achieved by their two powerful hind legs. Unlike other aquatic organisms, such as turtle, jellyfish, fish and frog et al., the diving beetle could complete retreating motion without turning around, and the turning radius is small for this kind of propulsion mode. However, most bionic vehicles have not contained these advantages, the study about this propulsion method is useful for the design of bionic robots. In this paper, the swimming videos of the diving beetle, including forwarding, turning and retreating, were captured by two synchronized high-speed cameras, and were analyzed via SIMI Motion. The analysis results revealed that the swimming speed initially increased quickly to a maximum at 60% of the power stroke, and then decreased. During the power stroke, the diving beetle stretched its tibias and tarsi, the bristles on both sides of which were shaped like paddles, to maximize the cross-sectional areas against the water to achieve the maximum thrust. During the recovery stroke, the diving beetle rotated its tarsi and folded the bristles to minimize the cross-sectional areas to reduce the drag force. For one turning motion (turn right about 90 degrees), it takes only one motion cycle for the diving beetle to complete it. During the retreating motion, the average acceleration was close to 9.8 m/s2 in the first 25 ms. Finally, based on the diving beetle's hind-leg movement pattern, a kinematic model was constructed, and according to this model and the motion data of the joint angles, the motion trajectories of the hind legs were obtained by using MATLAB. Since the advantages of this propulsion method, it may become a new bionic propulsion method, and the motion data and kinematic model of the hind legs will be helpful in the design of bionic underwater unmanned vehicles.
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