Design and development of autonomous robotic fish for object detection and tracking

Abstract

In this article, an autonomous robotic fish is designed for underwater operations like object detection and tracking along with collision avoidance. The computer-aided design model for prototype robotic fish is designed using the Solid Works® software to export an stereolithography (STL) file to MakerBot, a 3D printer, to manufacture the parts of robotic fish using polylactic acid thermoplastic polymer. The precise maneuverability of the robotic fish is achieved by the propulsion of a caudal fin. The oscillation of the caudal fin is controlled by a servomotor. A combination of visual and ultrasonic sensors is used to track the position and distance of the desired object with respect to the fish and also to avoid the obstacles. The robotic fish has the ability to detect an object up to a distance of 90 cm at normal exposure conditions. A computational fluid dynamics analysis is conducted to analyze the fluid hydrodynamics (flow rate of water and pressure) around the hull of a robotic fish and the drag force acting on it. A series of experimental results have shown the effectiveness of the designed underwater robotic fish.