RI: Small: AquaSWARM: Small Wireless Autonomous Robots for Monitoring of Aquatic Environments

AquaSWARM项目的目标是设计和开发小型、节能、自主的水下机器人，作为传感器丰富的平台，用于动态、长时间的水生环境监测。将水下滑翔机的节能设计与机器鱼的高机动性相结合，提出了一种新型的机器鱼滑翔概念。利用俯仰和浮力控制实现滑翔运动，实现俯冲/上升和长距离水平运动。采用软作动材料为基础的柔性尾翼，实现了高流体动力效率的机动。研究的重点是理解小型机器鱼的滑行设计，并从系统的角度解决能源效率问题。密歇根州立大学凯洛格生物站（Kellogg Biological Station）的湖泊中部署了一批这样的自主机器人，以检测有害藻华（HABs），并验证HABs动力学模型。该项目预计将产生具有成本效益的水下机器人，可以在水生环境中进行不间断、长时间（几个月）、长距离（数百英里）的作业。这将为水生环境监测提供一种新颖、可行、多功能的网络物理基础设施，其应用范围从了解全球变暖的影响，到环境保护、饮用水水库安全和海港安全。该项目还为研究生和本科生提供了一个跨学科的培训环境，并为激励大学预科学生和培养高素质教师提供了拓展机会。基于机器鱼的有害藻华检测也将被用作吸引当地湖泊社区的工具，并激发他们对新技术和环境问题的兴趣。

The goal of the AquaSWARM project is to design and develop small, energy-efficient, autonomous underwater robots as sensor-rich platforms for dynamic, long-duration monitoring of aquatic environments. A novel concept of gliding robotic fish is investigated, which merges the energy-efficient design of underwater glider with the high maneuverability of robotic fish. Gliding motion, enabled by pitch and buoyancy control, is exploited to realize dive/ascent and large-distance horizontal travel. Soft actuation materials-based flexible tail fins are used to achieve maneuvers with high hydrodynamic efficiency. The research is focused on understanding gliding design for small robotic fish, and addressing the energy efficiency issue from a systems perspective. Schools of such autonomous robots are deployed in lakes at the Michigan State University Kellogg Biological Station to detect harmful algal blooms (HABs) and validate models for HAB dynamics. The project is expected to result in cost-effective, underwater robots that can perform uninterrupted, long-duration (several months), long-travel (hundreds of miles) operation in aquatic environments. This will provide a novel, viable, versatile, cyber-physical infrastructure for aquatic environmental monitoring, with applications ranging from understanding the impact of global warming, to environmental protection, drinking water reservoir safety, and seaport security. The project also offers an interdisciplinary training environment for graduate and undergraduate students, and provides outreach opportunities to inspire pre-college students and train highly qualified teachers. Robotic fish-based HAB detection will also be used as a tool to engage communities at local lakes and stimulate their interest in novel technology and environmental issues.