Construction and control of biomimetic robotic dolphin

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the design, construction, and control of a biomimetic robotic dolphin equipped with mechanical flippers, based on a simplified engineered propulsive model. The robotic dolphin is modeled as a three-segment organism composed of rigid anterior body, flexible rear body, and an oscillating fluke. The dorsoventral movement of the tail produces the thrust, and bending of the body in the horizontal plane enables turning maneuvers. A dual-microcontroller structure is proposed to drive the oscillating multi-link rear body and the mechanical flippers. Swimming performance of the prototype robotic dolphin is tested, and the results confirm the effectiveness of the dolphin-like movement in propulsion and maneuvering