Development of a Lobster-Inspired Underwater Microrobot

[摘要] Biomimetic underwater microrobots are of great interest for underwater monitoring operations, such as pollution detection and video mapping in restricted underwater environments. Generally speaking, compact structure, multi-functionality, flexibility and precise positioning are considered incompatible characteristics for underwater microrobots. Nevertheless, we have designed several novel types of bio-inspired locomotion, using ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) and shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators. We reviewed a number of previously developed underwater microrobot prototypes that were constructed to demonstrate the feasibility of these types of biomimetic locomotion. Based on these prototypes, we summarized the implemented techniques and available results for efficient and precise underwater locomotion. In order to combine compact structure, multi-functionality, flexibility and precise positioning, we constructed a prototype of a new lobster-like microrobot and carried out a series of experiments to ...

[学科分类] 自动化工程

[关键词] Ionic Polymer Metal Composite (IPMC) Actuators;Biomimetic Underwater Microrobot;Micromechanism