Development of a Low-Cost Soft Robot Fish With Biomimetic Swimming Performance

Abstract

This paper investigates the methodology and techniques for a soft biomimetic robot fish that has a straightforward design, relatively simple fabrication, and low cost. In addition to the investigations of fabrication techniques, we also explore the numerical analysis of the biological fish swimming performance, with its inspiration for robot fish design, which is less studied in the literature. In this research, therefore, various swimming locomotion patterns within the body and/or caudal fin family are analyzed for kinematics and hydrodynamics using analytical methods and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to inspire the robot fish design for improved swimming performance. By straightforward design and fabrication, the swimming performance of the numerical robot fish is verified by means of simulation using 3D CFD, and the prototype performance is validated using in-water experimental tests. This study showcases a new easy-to-design and easy-to-fabricate robust biomimetic robot fish with comparable swimming performance, which has good potential for purposes like education, research, and entertainment.