Geometric Design and Gait Co-Optimization for Soft Continuum Robots Swimming at Low and High Reynolds Numbers

TL;DR

This paper introduces a geometric framework for co-optimizing the design and gait of soft continuum swimming robots, improving efficiency across different Reynolds number regimes by generalizing geometric mechanics principles.

Contribution

It presents a novel geometric variational co-optimization method for soft continuum robots, applicable to both low and high Reynolds number swimming environments.

Findings

Optimized designs outperform three-link and serpenoid swimmers in efficiency.

Framework achieves near or surpasses the efficiency of infinitely flexible swimmers.

Method is applicable across different power consumption metrics and swimming conditions.

Abstract

Recent advancements in soft actuators have enabled soft continuum swimming robots to achieve higher efficiency and more closely mimic the behaviors of real marine animals. However, optimizing the design and control of these soft continuum robots remains a significant challenge. In this paper, we present a practical framework for the co-optimization of the design and control of soft continuum robots, approached from a geometric locomotion analysis perspective. This framework is based on the principles of geometric mechanics, accounting for swimming at both low and high Reynolds numbers. By generalizing geometric principles to continuum bodies, we achieve efficient geometric variational co-optimization of designs and gaits across different power consumption metrics and swimming environments. The resulting optimal designs and gaits exhibit greater efficiencies at both low and high Reynolds numbers compared to three-link or serpenoid swimmers with the same degrees of freedom, approaching or even surpassing the efficiencies of infinitely flexible swimmers and those with higher degrees of freedom.