Study of Bioinspired Robots in Fluid Using Smart Elastic Structure

由于大多数生物都是自主的、功能性的和高效的，我们的目标是利用智能弹性结构在流体中开发以下仿生机器人。草履虫类机器人：如果身体被许多纤毛覆盖，如草履虫的情况，纤毛运动对推进有优势;身体能够在原位旋转并改变方向，以在小空间内推进自己。因此，我们已经开发出草履虫一样的机器人在流体中的鳍仿照纤毛运动配备了一个电机的基础上。我们使用带有ICPF（离子导电聚合物凝胶膜）驱动器的鳍来实时改变其表观刚度，以表示纤毛运动的有效行程和恢复行程。研究了仿生鱼鳍的控制和机器人的机动性。仿鱼机器人：作为一种比螺旋桨推进效率更高、安全性更好的替代推进机构，人们提出了一种类似于鱼类尾鳍或胸鳍的弹性鱼鳍摆动推进。但鳍的最佳弹性并不是恒定的，而是随着运动任务和环境的变化而变化。然而，在移动的同时交换不同弯曲刚度的翅片是非常困难的。因此，我们已经做了一个可变弯曲刚度鳍与可变有效长度的弹簧的鱼状机器人。该翅片可以实时改变其表观弯曲刚度。找到了获得较大推力和推力效率的最佳弹簧有效长度，证实了弹簧有效长度的动态变化对获得较大推力是有效的。我们还利用PIV技术制作了流动显示系统，并对绕流机理进行了探讨

Since most organisms are fairly autonomic, functional and efficient, we aimed to develop the following bioinspired robots in fluid using smart elastic structure.Paramecium like robot :Ciliary movement has an advantage for propulsion if the body is covered by many cilia such as in the case of a paramecium; the body is able to rotate in situ and change its direction to propel itself in small spaces. Thus, we have developed paramecium like robot in fluid with fins modeled on ciliary movement equipped with a motor on its base. We used the fin with ICPF (Ionic Conducting Polymer gel Film) actuator to change its apparent stiffness in a real-time for the representation of the effective stroke and recovery stroke of ciliary movement. We investigated the control of the fin which modeled on the metachronism of cillia, and maneuverability of the robot.Fish like robot :As an alternative propulsion mechanism with higher propulsion efficiency and better safety than the screw propeller, propulsion by oscillating an elastic fin resembling a caudal fin or pectoral fin of fish has been proposed. But the optimum elasticity of fin is not constant and changes according to the movement task and environment. However, it is very difficult to exchange fins of different bending stiffnesses while moving. Thus, we have made a variable bending stiffness fin with a variable effective length spring for the fish like robot. This fin can be changed its apparent bending stiffness in a real-time. We found the optimum effective length of the spring for obtaining greater thrust force and thrust efficiency, and confirmed that the dynamic change of effective length of the spring is effective to for obtaining greater thrust force. We have also made the flow visualization system using PIV, and discussed the flow around the mechanism