Propulsion Performance of an Aquatic Mobile Robot Using Traveling-Wave Motion of a Flexible Fin. Relationship between Propulsion Efficiency and Flow Pattern.

Abstract

This paper discusses an experimental study of the propulsion performance of an aquatic mobile robot using waving motion of a flexible plate modeled on the flexible caudal fin of fish. In the experiment, the propulsion force and side force generated by the waving motion of the flexible plate are examined in stationary water in a channel. And the propulsion speed and efficiency are examined with varing the length and flexiblility of the plate. As a result, it is found that the propulsion performance of the robot becomes high when the traveling-wave motion occurs in the flexible plate. And high propulsion performance of efficiency of 62% is obtained by using the traveling-wave motion of the flexible plate.