Robotic Biomimetic Fish

/ Carl's Work

biomimetic, electronics, mechanical design, robotics, UIUC

For my senior design project in undergrad, I worked with a team on designing and building a robotic fish. This was part of a research project funded by the US Navy to increase the efficiency of underwater vehicles by mimicking the way that fish swim. We partnered with the Electrical Engineering department, who were designing MEMS sensors that could detect water pressure, to create a platform that sensed and responded to the environment around it.

Initial design sketches with colors indicating part layers
Sketches of tentative assembly
Especially in schooled formation, this type of swimming yields great increases in efficiency
Testing out air muscles
Linkage design for CNC milling
Assembled core
Internals with pneumatic cylinders installed
Close-up of linkage assembly
Rigid tail fin and head attached
Testing waterproofing
Entire assembly that attaches to frame over the test pool

This is the linkage system moving without the neoprene covering.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jlkk6_hQ4MQ

My role: part design and project manager
Worked with: Jason Vlachos, Alan Urban, and Frank Ursetta
Faculty Advisor: Scott David Kelly

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