RoboKrill : a metachronal drag-based swimmer robot

TL;DR

This paper introduces RoboKrill, a bio-inspired robotic system mimicking krill swimming mechanics, designed for enhanced maneuverability in complex underwater environments, combining active/passive actuation and 3D printing.

Contribution

It presents a novel, compact, and reproducible krill-inspired robot that replicates natural swimming kinematics using innovative joint actuation and fluid-structure interactions.

Findings

Successful replication of krill swimming kinematics

Demonstrated maneuverability in underwater tests

Platform enables future biological and robotic studies

Abstract

Marine exploration is essential to understanding ocean processes and organisms. While the use of current unmanned underwater vehicles has enabled many discoveries, there are still plenty of limitations toward exploring complex environments. Bio-inspired robots are a promising solution for highly maneuverable underwater swimming at moderate speeds. Krill, especially, are efficient swimmers in the intermediate Reynolds number regime and can inform engineering solutions for ocean exploration. In this paper, we present the design, manufacture, and validation of a new krill-inspired, metachronal, drag-based robotic system. By combining active and passive actuation of the joints with 3D printed parts, our unique design recreates the swimming kinematics of Euphausia superba in a compact and reproducible robotic platform. The motion of the anterior and posterior appendage segments is achieved using servo motors and a multi-link mechanism, while the out-of-plane motion of the biramous distal segments is attained via fluid-structure interactions. Going forward, our platform will be leveraged to study metachronal, drag-based swimmers across taxa to identify unifying success mechanisms at different scales, facilitating the development of a new generation of underwater robots.