Open AccessDesign and Control Strategy of Bio-inspired Underwater Vehicle with Flexible Propulsor
Author(s) -
Santanu Mitra,
Vaibhav Sehgal,
Shubham Rathore,
Raghav Puri,
Shivani Chouhan,
Aditya Sharma
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of modern mechanical engineering and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2409-9848
DOI - 10.31875/2409-9848.2021.08.7
Subject(s) - propulsor , biomimetics , underwater , propulsion , mechanism (biology) , process (computing) , marine engineering , robotics , robot , engineering , computer science , systems engineering , artificial intelligence , control engineering , aerospace engineering , philosophy , oceanography , epistemology , geology , operating system
Biomimetics aims to take inspiration from nature and develop new models and efficient systems for a sustainable future. Bioinspired underwater robotics help develop future submarines that will navigate through the water using flexible propulsor. This research has focused on the Manta Ray species as batoid has a unique advantage over other species. This study also aims to improve AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) efficiency through biomimetic design, the purpose of which is to observe and study the marine environment, be it for sea exploration or navigation. The design and prototyping process of bioinspired AUVs have been mentioned in this study, along with testing a propulsive mechanism for efficient swimming and turning capabilities. The Robot was designed taking structural considerations from the actual Manta-Ray locomotion and body design. The propulsion mechanism and control circuit were then implemented on the developed systems. The prototype of the Manta Ray was able to generate a realistic swimming pattern and was tested in an acrylic tank. The experimental results obtained in the tank basin are very close to the results we observe in the real-world scenario in terms of the vehicle's forward and turning motion.