Research Symposium

BIO

Ramisa Anjum is a sophomore-year Honors student at Florida State University. Majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in physics, she is passionate about bio-inspired engineering design.
At Florida State University, she is involved in undergraduate research that combines computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with robotic design to improve the motion of underwater soft swimmer-robots.
After graduation, Ramisa plans to pursue a graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering and continue her research on soft robotics.

Mimicking Nature: High-Performance Tails for Underwater Soft Robots

Abstract

Abstract:
Bio-mimicry is the method that imitates nature to solve complex human problems. Soft robots can mimic biological motion as they can bend, stretch and deform continuously, much like fish, snakes and worms. In soft robots, the body and principle moving parts are made from flexible materials (like silicone, rubber, gels, or soft plastics) instead of rigid metal links. Current eel-like robotic swimmers use segmented robots with multiple moving parts. Simplifying these moving parts into a soft robot can potentially increase efficiency in swimming by improving speed and endurance. 
The purpose of this research is to find the optimal tail shape for such a soft robot and obtain parameters that maximize the thrust of a swimmer robot. To develop a computationally efficient model, we use the programming language Julia to simulate how one fish with different tail shapes move and create required thrust force for swimming. After the best tail designs are obtained through simulation, those cases are validated through experiments using an MFC piezoelectric strip. The strip is actuated using controlled voltage signals at chosen frequencies causing it to bend and flap. The resulting thrust is measured using a force-torque sensor. Outcome of this research is to design a new tail that can enhance the swimming efficiency of bioinspired soft robotics for underwater swimming tasks.

Keywords: Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robot, Robots, soft robots, robotics, simulation, experiment, fish.