ME512: Mobile Robotics

Locomotion

Atul Thakur
Mechanical Engineering Department
IIT Patna
Aquatic Locomotion
 Terminologies

 BCF locomotion- Use of body and

caudal fin
 MPF locomotion- Use their
 median fins i.e., anal and dorsal fin
 paired fins i.e., pectoral fins
 Undulatory locomotion- passage of a
wave along the propulsive structure
 Oscillatory loc0motion- Swiveling of
propulsive structures
 Combination- Makes use of
undulatory and oscillatory motion
3
 Locomotion

Fish
Locomotion

Body and Median and

caudal fin paired fin
(BCF) (MPF)

Combination
Undulatory Oscillatory Undulatory Oscillatory
of undulatory
motion motion motion of fins motion of fins
and oscillatory

4
Classification of swimming locomotion is presented
8/22/2022 5:23:34 PM
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Types of BCF Locomotion

UNDULATORY OSCILLATORY

Anguilliform Thunniform

Subcarangiform Ostraciiform

Carangiform
 Anguilliform
 Whole body participates in large amplitude of
undulations
 Body contains one complete wavelength of oscillation

pleph.appspot.com

 e.g.- Eel

7
 Representative Robots
Robot Sensors Actuators Controller
Biorobotic Stretch Sensors Servomotors Central Pattern
Lamprey (Manfredi et and Magnets Generator
al., 2013)
Anguilliform Camera Servomotors Central Pattern
Robotic Fish (Niu et Generator
al., 2013)

Biorobotic Anguilliform
Lamprey (Manfredi et al., 2013) Robotic Fish (Niu et al., 2013)
8
Subcarangiform and Carangiform
 Amplitude of the undulations is in a limited amount at the
anterior position
 Increases only in the posterior half of the body

 e.g.- Trout fish

9
 Representative Robots
Robot Sensors Actuators
FILOSE Fish-like Robot (Daou Pressure Sensor Servomotors
et al., 2014)

Motor-less and Gear-less Bio- Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) Shape Memory Alloy (SMA)
mimetic Robotic Fish (Rossi et
al., 2011)

FILOSE Fish-like Robot (Daou et al., 2014) Motor-less and Gear-less Bio-
10 mimetic Robotic Fish (Rossi et al.,
2011)
 Representative Robots
Robot Sensors Actuators
Essex MT1 Robotic Fish (Liu et Pressure Sensor, Servomotors
al., 2010) Compass, Infrared Sensors and
an
Inclinometer
Fish-like Robot (Epps et al., Camera Servomotor
2009)

Essex MT1 Robotic Fish (Liu et al., 2010) Fish-like Robot (Epps et al., 2009)
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 Ostraciiform
 Purely oscillatory BCF mode
 Pendulum-like oscillation of the (stiff) caudal fin.
 Characterized by low hydrodynamic efficiency
 e.g.- Boxfish

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 Representative Robots
Robot Sensors Actuators Controller
Boxy-bot (Lachat et Light Sensors, Water DC Motors Central Pattern
al., 2006) Sensors and Generator
Accelerometer
Osctaciiform Fish Inertial Measurement Servomotors Motion Controller.
Robot (Chan et al., Unit
2007)

Boxy-bot (Lachat et al., 2006) Osctaciiform Fish Robot (Chan et al.,

13 2007)
 Types of MPF Locomotion
UNDULATORY OSCILLATORY COMBINATION

Diodontiform
Labriform
Gymnotiform Rajiiform
Amiiform
Tetraodontiform
Balistiform
 Diodontiform
 Undulatory motion of pectoral fins of moderate length
 Pectoral fins may lie at a certain angle with each other
(complementary)
 e.g.- Porcupine-fish

15
 Representative Robots
Robot Sensors Actuators
Free Swimming Fin Pressure Sensors, Servomotors
Actuated Underwater Vehicles Compass and Camera
(Morgansen 2007)

16 Free Swimming Fin Actuated Underwater Vehicles (Morgansen 2007)

 Gymnotiform
 Undulation of elongated anal fin helps in propulsion of the fish
 Fishes have narrow body
 E.g.- Knife-fish.

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 Representative Robots
Robot Sensors Actuators
Robotic Knifefish ( Curet et Sensing System Motors
al., 2011) Based on eslf generated
Discharges of Electricity and
Force
Sensor
NKF-II (Low 2009) Pitch and Servomotors
Depth Sensors

18 Robotic Knifefish ( Curet et al., 2011) NKF-II (Low 2009 )

 Rajiform
 Undulation or oscillation of broad and extended pectoral fins
 Fins
 Pectoral fins have sharp angle of attack
 E.g.- Butterfly Ray

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 Representative Robots
Robot Sensors Actuators
RoMan-II (Zhou and Low Pressure DC motor
2012) Sensor
Bionic Pectoral Potentiometer Motors
Fin Based Cow- and Torque
Nosed Ray Robot (Cai et al., ) Sensor

RoMan-II (Zhou and Low 2012) Bionic Pectoral Fin Based Cow- Nosed
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Ray Robot (Cai et al., 2010)
 Design characteristics of various
BCF locomotion patterns
Design Criteria Anguilliform Subcarangiform Carangiform Ostraciiform
Speed Low Low High Low

Maneuverability Medium to high Low Low Low

Ease of Control Low to Medium High High High

Design Medium to high Low Low Low
Complexity

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 Design characteristics of various
MPF locomotion patterns
Design Criteria Diodontiform Gymnotiform Rajiform Labriform
Speed Medium Medium Low to Medium Low

Maneuverability Low High Low to High Low

Ease of Control High Low Low to High High

Design Low High Low to High Low
Complexity

22
 Buoyancy Regulated Robot
Principle of operation Marine biology
𝐹𝐵𝑢𝑜𝑦𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑦
= 𝜌𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑉𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑑 − 𝜌𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑜𝑡 𝑉𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑜𝑡

For underwater robots

𝑉𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑜𝑡 = 𝑉𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑑 = 𝑉
Thus,
Ref. www.wisegeek.com
𝐹𝐵𝑢𝑜𝑦𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑦 = 𝜌𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 -
Two ways to control 𝐹𝐵𝑢𝑜𝑦𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑦 Stealth operation
• By keeping 𝑉𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑜𝑡
• Underwater robots dive deep and move
up in the sea or river to study the river or
marine biology

Ref: http://www.popsci.com
Ballast-based Buoyancy Regulation
Outlet Inlet

Water

Air
Problem Statement

 Design a underwater noiseless buoyancy control robot

 No mass interaction with the surrounding
 Hover at a certain depth
 Approach
 Overview of our robot

Inflatable membrane
Heating chamber
40W Cartridge heater
Acetone
Electronics chamber

Motor Driver
Raspberry pie
Power chamber
12V battery
Mass for negative buoyancy
 Physical properties of acetone
 Boiling point : 56˚C
 Latent heat : 518 KJ/Kg
 Liquid density : 791 Kg/m3
 Vapor density : 1.6 Kg/m3
 Controller – Raspberry Pi
 Onboard computing
 InbuiltWi-Fi and Bluetooth
 Communication frequency can be
changed based on requirement
28
 Jet Propulsion in Jellyfish
• When bell contracts,
• the volume of fluid inside it
decreases
• fluid must move out
• As a result, a momentary pressure
increase inside the bell takes place
• accelerates the fluid in the bell out of
the orifice,
• forming a high velocity jet and
accelerating the jellyfish in the
opposite direction
• For recharging, the jellyfish reopens the
bell and draw in new fluid
• causes the jellyfish to slow or even
begin moving backward (rebound)
• To reduce rebound, jellyfish tend to
open their bells more slowly than
they close them
 Some robots based on jet propulsion
A jellyfish-inspired jet propulsion robot actuated by
an iris mechanism (iop.org)

A jellyfish-inspired jet propulsion robot actuated by

an iris mechanism - IOPscience

robotics-08-00056.pdf