Investigation of bio-inspired tail-first swimming using numerical and robotic models

Abstract

In contrast to head-first swimming of most natural swimmers such as fishes, the larvae of mosquito swim tail-first with the posterior end of the body leading the anterior end in the direction of locomotion. In order to gain comprehensive insights into the mechanics of tail-first swimming, the gait kinematics was quantified through markerless tracking, and flowfield was computed using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) analysis, revealing that the generation of peak hydrodynamic forces was at mid-stroke. Parameterization of the kinematics facilitated self-propelled numerical simulations using immersed boundary lattice Boltzmann method (IB-LBM) to be performed and the implementation of kinematics on a tethered robotic model. The parameterization produced tail-first swimming in the numerical simulations and the dye flow visualization from robotic experiments reveals the direction of momentum transfer facilitates tail-first locomotion. Furthermore, force measurements on the robotic model provide quantitative evidence supporting tail-first swimming resulting from this gait