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The development of a biologically inspired propulsor for unmanned underwater vehicles
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
http://hdl.handle.net/1860/2752
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| Title: | The development of a biologically inspired propulsor for unmanned underwater vehicles |
| Authors: | Tangorra, James Louis
Davidson, S. Naomi
Hunter, Ian W.
Madden, Peter G. A.
Lauder, George V.
Dong, Haibo
Bozkurttas, Meliha
Mittal, Rajat |
| Keywords: | Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV)
Biorobotic
Design
Drag
Pectoral Fin
Robotic
Thrust
Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) |
| Issue Date: | Jul-2007 |
| Publisher: | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) |
| Citation: | IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering, 32(3): pp. 533-550 |
| Abstract: | Fish are remarkable in their ability to maneuver
and to control their body position. This ability is the result of the
coordinated movement of fins which extend from the body and
form control surfaces that can create and vector forces in 3-D.
We have embarked on a research program designed to develop a
maneuvering propulsor for unmanned undersea vehicles (UUVs)
that is based on the pectoral fin of the bluegill sunfish. For this,
the anatomy, kinematics, and hydrodynamics of the sunfish pectoral
fin were investigated experimentally and through the use of
computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. These studies
identified that the kinematics of the sunfish pectoral fin are very
complex and are not easily described by traditional “rowing”-
and “flapping”-type kinematics. A consequence of the complex
motion is that the pectoral fin can produce forward thrust during
both its outstroke (abduction) and instroke (adduction), and while
doing so generates only small lateral and lift forces. The results
of the biological studies were used to guide the design of robotic
pectoral fins which were built as experimental devices and used
to investigate the mechanisms of thrust production and control.
Because of a design that was based heavily on the anatomy of the
sunfish fin, the robotic pectoral fins had the level of control and
degrees of freedom necessary to reproduce many of the complex
fin motions used by the sunfish during steady swimming. These
robotic fins are excellent experimental tools, and are an important
first step towards developing propulsive devices that will give the
next generation of UUVs the ability to produce and control thrust
like highly maneuverable fish. |
| URI: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/JOE.2007.903362
http://hdl.handle.net/1860/2752 |
| Appears in Collections: | Faculty Research and Publications (MEM)
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