Course control in a self-consistent model of cuttlefish movement

Abstract

We developed a simulation model to mimic cuttlefish movement. We developed a simulation model to mimic cuttlefish movement, representing an elongated body with two undulatory fins that generate propulsive forces for underwater movement. Our mathematical model concurrently solved equations for both body mechanics and fluid dynamics, using the Navier–Stokes equations to describe the latter. To implement this self-consistent model, we utilized deformable mesh techniques. This enabled us to compute both the apparatus’s movement performance characteristics and hydrodynamic flow parameters, such as vorticity and pressure fields. Our study focused on examining how oscillations of the left and right fins, each with different parameters, impact the apparatus’s maneuverability. We found that differences in frequencies between the left and right fins resulted in a peak turning angle velocity. We also explored how the interplay between hydrodynamic forces influences the apparatus’s course control.