IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 27

From Natural
Complexity to
Biomimetic
Simplification

©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/KUNHUI CHIH

By Yueri Cai, Shusheng Bi, Guoyuan Li,
Hans Petter Hildre, and Houxiang Zhang

F

eatures of fish-like environmental compatibility
and maneuverability have attracted bioinspired
design researchers worldwide to contemplate the
practical applications of robotic fish. This article
presents a conceptual design for and the development of a robotic fish inspired by the cownose ray. We
extracted essential biomimetic parameters of the cownose
ray to develop reasonable simplifications of the body shape,
the mechanical structure design principle of the multijointdriving fin rays, and the motion principle. The practical
motion abilities of the bionic prototype's internally driven
skeleton are calculated theoretically and compared with
its natural model. Parameters affecting propulsion performances are analyzed using a one-dimensional (1-D)
calculation method. The basic motion modes are obtained
according to the analysis.

Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MRA.2018.2861985
Date of publication: 12 September 2018

1070-9932/19©2019IEEE

The Realization of Bionic Fish
Inspired by the Cownose Ray
Observations show that the developed robotic fish can
perform bionic sinusoidal flapping movements. Positive forward-propulsion forces and the desired turn torques are
measured in towing tank experiments. The maximum linearforward swimming speed of the bionic fish is 0.7 times the
body length per second (BL/s). The maneuvering abilities for
pivot turns and rolling swim through narrow passages are
demonstrated to confirm the design idea.
Bioinspired Underwater Robots
Novel underwater vehicles that demonstrate environmental
compatibility and maneuverability are currently in high
demand. For example, underwater vehicles that create little
environmental disturbance and exhibit biological similarity
are advantageous for aquacultures. For this and other applications, traditional underwater vehicles with propellers have
some limitations such as loud hydrodynamic noise, large size,
low efficiency, and reduced speed when they maneuver in
confined spaces. Bioinspired underwater robots offer
SEPTEMBER 2019

*

IEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION MAGAZINE

*

27



http://www.ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/KUNHUI

IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019

Contents
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - Cover1
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - Cover2
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - Contents
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 2
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 3
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 4
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 5
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 6
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 7
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 8
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 9
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 10
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 11
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 12
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 13
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 14
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 15
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 16
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 17
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 18
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 19
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 20
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 21
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 22
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 23
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 24
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 25
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 26
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 27
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 28
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 29
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 30
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 31
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 32
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 33
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 34
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 35
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 36
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 37
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 38
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 39
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 40
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 41
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 42
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 43
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 44
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 45
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 46
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 47
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 48
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 49
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 50
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 51
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 52
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 53
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 54
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 55
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 56
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 57
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 58
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 59
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 60
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 61
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 62
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 63
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 64
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 65
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 66
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 67
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 68
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 69
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 70
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 71
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 72
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 73
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 74
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 75
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 76
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 77
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 78
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 79
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 80
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 81
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 82
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 83
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 84
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 85
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 86
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 87
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 88
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 89
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 90
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 91
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 92
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 93
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 94
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 95
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 96
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 97
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 98
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 99
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 100
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 101
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 102
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 103
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 104
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 105
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 106
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 107
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 108
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 109
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 110
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 111
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - 112
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - Cover3
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2019 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2010
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com