Towards an Esox lucius inspired multimodal robotic fish

Abstract

In this paper, we further explore multimodal locomotion via an updated robotic fish model based on Esox lucius. Besides the improved actuation properties like higher torque servomotors and powerful electronics, the robotic fish has some innovative mechanical design to pursue diverse swimming modes and superior performance. Specifically, we introduced a ±50°yawing head joint that functions as the neck for enhancing turning ability. A pair of pectoral mechanisms with two DOFs per fin is constructed to achieve 3-D swimming and to enrich multiple pectoral motions. At the control level, an improved central pattern generator (CPG) model allowing for free adjustment of the phase relationship among outputs is employed to produce rhythmic signals of multimodal swimming. Extensive experiments were carried out to examine how characteristic parameters in CPGs including amplitude, frequency, and phase lag affect the swimming performance. As a result, the robotic fish successfully performed various locomotion actions such as forward swimming, backward swimming, turning, diving, surfacing, as well as three pectoral motions in the form of pitching, heaving, and heaving-pitching. We found that small phase lag between oscillating joints which means large propulsive body wave length and undulation width could lead to a faster swimming in body and/or caudal fin (BCF) locomotion.