Articles
| Open Access |
DOI: DEVELOPMENT OF MANTA RAY INSPIRED FISH ROBOT WITH EMBODIED SENSING FOR EFFICIENT UNDERWATER ENVIRONMENT MONITORING
Taha Rehman Aali , Department of Electrical Engineering, Sukkur IBA University, Pakistan Hammad Adnan , Department of Electrical Engineering, Sukkur IBA University, Pakistan Dr. Afaque Manzoor Soomro , Department of Electrical Engineering, Sukkur IBA University, PakistanAbstract
This study aims to design and develop a bio-inspired soft robotic fish for underwater environment monitoring. The ocean is vast, covering more than 70% of earth’s surface and largely unexplored frontier having diverse ecosystems and vital resources. Monitoring underwater environment is important for understanding marine life and studying impacts of climate change. While traditional robots such as AUVs are precise and durable but due to their bulky structure struggle in complex conditions in ocean. Due to disadvantages such as less adaptable and potentially harmful to marine ecosystem of hard robots, the increasing demand for effective underwater environment monitoring has sparked interest in bio-inspired soft robotics. Soft robots are ideal for underwater monitoring due to their flexible and adaptable structure. They can navigate complex environments more easily, reducing the risk of damaging marine life and robot itself. This study presents the design and implementation of soft robotic fish inspired by manta rays known for their unique swimming pattern, efficient and agile locomotion. Our robot mimics real manta rays’ movements patterns by utilizing pectoral fins made from soft materials which generate thrusts using pneumatic actuation. The robot fins were designed by studying manta ray fin propulsion and simulating in ANSYS software where we observed same pattern of movement of real manta ray fish. The fins were fabricated using ecoflex0030 which is flexible soft material. The prototype was tested to observe the movement of fins and evaluate its performance which was close to real fish movements. This study helps in advancement of bio-inspired underwater robotics field by improving efficiency and capability of underwater monitoring systems. Future work will focus on refining the design, improving performance of robot, developing communication system and embodied sensing for data collection such as pressure, temperature of underwater environments.
Keywords
Traditional robots, bio-inspired, Soft robotic
References
J. H. Clarke and P. C. S. E. Department, *Biology of the Deep Sea*. CRC Press, 2016. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315889450. [Accessed: Aug. 11, 2024].
F. Ahmed, M. Waqas, B. Jawed, A. M. Soomro, S. Kumar, A. Hina, U. Khan, K. H. Kim, and K. H. Choi, "Decade of bio-inspired soft robots: a review," Smart Materials and Structures, vol. 31, no. 7, p. 073002, Jun. 2022. doi: 10.1088/1361-665X/ac6e15.
G. Li, T. W. Wong, B. Shih, et al., "Bioinspired soft robots for deep-sea exploration," Nature Communications, vol. 14, p. 7097, 2023. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-42882-3.
K. Liu, W. Chen, W. Yang, Z. Jiao, and Y. Yu, "Review of the Research Progress in Soft Robots," Applied Sciences, vol. 13, no. 1, p. 120, 2023. doi: 10.3390/app13010120.
F. E. Fish, C. M. Schreiber, K. W. Moored, G. Liu, H. Dong, and H. Bart-Smith, "Hydrodynamic Performance of Aquatic Flapping: Efficiency of Underwater Flight in the Manta," Aerospace, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 1-24, 2016. doi: 10.3390/aerospace3030020.
Y. Sun, H. Feng, X. Liang, A. Goh, P. Qi, M. Li, M. Jr, and R. Yeow, "Powerful 2D Soft Morphing Actuator Propels Giant Manta Ray Robot," Advanced Intelligent Systems, vol. 4, p. 202200186, 2022. doi: 10.1002/aisy.202200186.
R. A. S. Islam, L. B. Cross, and K. Park, "Soft Robotic Hands and Tactile Sensors for Underwater Robotics," Applied Mechanics, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 356-382, 2021. doi: 10.3390/applmech2020021.
Y. J. Tan, G. Mengaldo, and C. Laschi, "Artificial Muscles for Underwater Soft Robots: Materials and Their Interactions," Annual Review of Condensed Matter Physics, vol. 15, pp. 1-24, 2024.
K. W. Moored, F. E. Fish, T. H. Kemp, and H. Bart-Smith, "Batoid Fishes: Inspiration for the Next Generation of Underwater Robots," Journal of Bionic Engineering, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 327-340, Dec. 2011.
Y. Cai, S. Bi, and L. Zhang, "Design and implication of a bionic pectoral fin imitating cow-nosed ray," in Proceedings of the 2010 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, Taipei, Taiwan, 2010, pp. 3525-3529. doi: 10.1109/IROS.2010.5650804.
D. Zhang, G. Pan, Y. Cao, Q. Huang, and Y. Cao, "A Novel Integrated Gliding and Flapping Propulsion Biomimetic Manta-Ray Robot," Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, vol. 10, no. 7, pp. 924, 2022. doi: 10.3390/jmse10070924.
Why do planes fly? Bernoulli's principle (worldaviationato.com)
Y.-Y. Hsu, K. Lucas, D. Davis, B. Elolampi, R. Ghaffari, C. Rafferty, and K. Dowling, "Novel Strain Relief Design for Multilayer Thin Film Stretchable Interconnects," IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, vol. 60, pp. 2338-2345, 2013. doi: 10.1109/TED.2013.2264217.
D. Steck, J. Qu, S. B. Kordmahale, D. Tscharnuter, A. Muliana, and J. Kameoka, "Mechanical responses of Ecoflex silicone rubber: Compressible and incompressible behaviors," Journal of Applied Polymer Science, vol. 47025, 2022. doi: 10.1002/app.47025.
I. Claudio, "Design of a Bio-Inspired Manta Ray Robot," M.S. thesis, Dept. Mechanical Eng., Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy, 2023.
M. R. de Lima, J. L. P. Pereira, and M. M. Freitas, "Underestimated threats to manta rays in Brazil: Primacies to support conservation strategies," *ResearchGate*, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Diagnostic-division-of-the-manta-ray-body-Manta-rays-body-structure-divided-into_fig2_353893767. [Accessed: Aug. 11, 2024].
Difference Between Static and Transient Analysis? - Mechead.com
T. Low and I. Chopra, "Soft robotics: A review of recent developments of pneumatic soft actuators," Actuators, vol. 9, no. 1, p. 3, Jan. 2020. doi: 10.3390/act9010003.
L. Zhang, C. Niu, S. Bi, and Y. Cai, "Kinematic Model Analysis and Design Optimization of a Bionic Pectoral Fins," in Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics (ROBIO), Shenzhen, China, 2013, pp. 1-6.
M. A. Fish, D. R. Kaplan, R. J. Summers, J. L. Zorovich, and G. V. Lauder, "Bioinspired propulsion mechanisms based on manta ray locomotion," in IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 1644-1653, Jun. 2015. doi: 10.1109/TMECH.2014.2341171.
G. Bianchi, L. Maffi, M. Tealdi, and S. Cinquemani, "Design and Performance of a Cownose Ray-Inspired Robot for Underwater Exploration," in Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2023, pp. 10-15. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-38857-6_19.
D. Rus and M. T. Tolley, "Design, fabrication and control of soft robots," Nature, vol. 521, no. 7553, pp. 467-475, May 2015. doi: 10.1038/nature14543.
Zhang, W. Zou, H. Yu, X. Hao, G. Li, T. Li, W. Yang, Z. L. Wu, and Q. Zheng, "Manta Ray Inspired Soft Robot Fish with Tough Hydrogels as Structural Elements," ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, vol. 14, pp. 2022-2023, 2022. doi: 10.1021/acsami.2c17009.
Z. Chen, "A review on robotic fish enabled by ionic polymer–metal composite artificial muscles," Robotics and Biomimetics, vol. 4, p. 24, 2017. doi: 10.1186/s40638-017-0081-3.
C. Zhou and K. H. Low, "Better Endurance and Load Capacity: An Improved Design of Manta Ray Robot (RoMan-II)," Journal of Bionic Engineering, vol. 7, pp. 2010-2011, 2010. doi: 10.1016/S1672-6529(09)60227-4.
R. K. Kramer, C. Majidi, R. J. Wood, "Wearable tactile keypad with stretchable artificial skin," in Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), May 2011, pp. 1103-1107. doi: 10.1109/ICRA.2011.5979781.
J. Qu, G. Cui, Z. Li, S. Fang, X. Zhang, A. Liu, M. Han, H. Liu, X. Wang, and X. Wang, "Advanced Flexible Sensing Technologies for Soft Robots," Advanced Functional Materials, vol. 34, no. 29, p. 2401311, Apr. 2024. doi: 10.1002/adfm.202401311.
Q. Liu, H. Chen, Z. Wang, Q. He, L. Chen, W. Li, R. Li, and W. Cui, "A Manta Ray Robot with Soft Material Based Flapping Wing," Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, vol. 10, no. 7, pp. 962, 2022. doi: 10.3390/jmse10070962.
Y. Kim, Y. Liu, and S. Kim, "Soft robotics: A bioinspired evolution in robotics," Trends in Biotechnology, vol. 31, no. 5, pp. 287-294, May 2013. doi: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2013.03.002.
K. H. Low, C. Zhou, G. Seet, S. Bi, and Y. Cai, "Improvement and Testing of a Robotic Manta Ray (RoMan-III)," in Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics, Phuket, Thailand, Dec. 7-11, 2011, pp. 2011-2012.
Y. Qu, X. Xie, S. Zhang, C. Xing, Y. Cao, Y. Cao, G. Pan, and B. Song, "A Rigid-Flexible Coupling Dynamic Model for Robotic Manta with Flexible Pectoral Fins," Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, vol. 12, no. 2, p. 292, 2024. doi: 10.3390/jmse12020292.
M. Chitre, S. Shahabudeen, and M. Stojanovic, "Underwater acoustic communications and networking: Recent advances and future challenges," Marine Technology Society Journal, vol. 42, no. 1, pp. 103-116, Jan. 2008. doi: 10.4031/002533208786861343.
F. Ahmed, M. Waqas, B. Shaikh, U. Khan, A. M. Soomro, S. Kumar, H. Ashraf, F. H. Memon, and K. H. Choi, "Multi-material bio-inspired soft octopus robot for underwater synchronous swimming," Journal of Bionic Engineering, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 741-751, Sep. 2022. doi: 10.1007/s42235-022-00208-x.
L. Freitag, M. Grund, S. Singh, J. Partan, P. Koski, and K. Ball, "The WHOI Micro-Modem: An acoustic communications and navigation system for multiple platforms," in Proceedings of OCEANS 2005 MTS/IEEE, Washington, DC, 2005, pp. 1086-1092. doi: 10.1109/OCEANS.2005.1639822.
M. A. U. Khalid, M. Ali, A. M. Soomro, S. W. Kim, H. B. Kim, B.-G. Lee, and K. H. Choi, "A highly sensitive biodegradable pressure sensor based on nanofibrous dielectric," Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, vol. 294, pp. 140-147, Aug. 2019. doi: 10.1016/j.sna.2019.05.021.
J. Heidemann, W. Ye, J. Wills, A. Syed, and Y. Li, "Research challenges and applications for underwater sensor networking," in Proceedings of IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference, Las Vegas, NV, 2006, pp. 228-235. doi: 10.1109/WCNC.2006.1683463.
A. M. Soomro, F. H. Memon, J.-W. Lee, F. Ahmed, K. H. Kim, Y. S. Kim, and K. H. Choi, "Fully 3D printed multi-material soft bio-inspired frog for underwater synchronous swimming," International Journal of Mechanical Sciences, vol. 210, 106725, Nov. 2021. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmecsci.2021.106725.
A. M. Soomro, B. Jawed, A. Qayoom, H. Hyder, K. Hussain, L. Iram, M. Waqas, F. Ahmed, A. Sattar, S. Almani, and J. H. Lim, "Textile-based flexible temperature sensors for wearable and sports applications," physica status solidi (a), first published Oct. 2023. doi: 10.1002/pssa.202300523.
M. Afaque, "Design and fabrication of soft sensors for wearable electronics and robotics applications," Ph.D. dissertation, Jeju National University, Jeju, South Korea, 2021. Available: https://oak.jejunu.ac.kr/handle/2020.oak/23486.
Article Statistics
Copyright License
Copyright (c) 2024 Taha Rehman Aali, Hammad Adnan, Dr. Afaque Manzoor Soomro
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain the copyright of their manuscripts, and all Open Access articles are disseminated under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (CC-BY), which licenses unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided that the original work is appropriately cited. The use of general descriptive names, trade names, trademarks, and so forth in this publication, even if not specifically identified, does not imply that these names are not protected by the relevant laws and regulations.