Design, modeling and open-loop control of a BCF mode bio-mimetic robotic fish

Abstract

This paper deals with the design of a bio-inspired fish like underwater vehicle. As the applications of underwater robots grow, finding efficient propulsion techniques is of the utmost importance. The current research has focused on the use of biomimetic propulsion, which simulates the undulation of fish tail, i.e. the sinusoidal oscillation. The objective is to mimic the propulsion technique of the BCF mode carangiform swimming style to swim efficiently over large distances at impressive speeds. Beginning from the CAD construction in Solidworks, 3D motion simulations in Matlab VRML and open-loop experimental and simulation results are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.