MIT Ocean
Engineering Testing Tank Biomimetics Project: RoboTuna
19 March 2000
Comments to: towtank-www@mit.edu
Consider the fish: highly maneuverable
and an effortless swimmer, this animal 160 million years
in the making is superbly adapted to its watery
environs. Now, in work that could lead to mini
submarines with similar attributes, MIT engineers have
developed the first robotic version of Nature's piscine
wonder.
In summer 1995 the researchers'
original creation, patterned after a bluefin tuna, took
its maiden swim down the MIT Testing Tank. That swim and
others since have been exciting, reinforcing the
engineers' belief that the Lycra-sheathed robot could
become an important tool toward understanding the
physics of swimming and more. The "robotuna"
project began in 1993 with the overall goal of
developing a better propulsion system for autonomous
underwater vehicles, or AUVs, said Michael S.
Triantafyllou, a professor in the Department of Ocean
Engineering who is leading the research team. The work
is funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency, the
Office of Naval Research, the MIT Sea Grant College
Program, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and
MIT's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.
As mentioned above original RoboTuna,
Charlie I, was build by designer David Barrett in 1995
for his PhD thesis. Tests were performed on with the
robot to assess the swimming capabilities of the fish.
After five years Charlie I reached the end of its Life
Cycle and a new robot was born. This new RoboTuna,
designed by David Beal and Michael Sachinis, is founded
on a cable-pulley system, like the the original robot,
but with several significant modifications.
Charlie I
Charlie I was designed and build by
David Barrett for his doctoral thesis.
RoboTuna II
Related Links:
Check
out more info on the original MIT RoboTuna
MIT
News Office
MIT
Projects
Tow
Tank Home Page
TOP
