Robotic Fish Locomotion

Designed a robotic fish that mimics ostraciiform locomotion similar to a box fish. The study investigated the effect of caudal fin properties like flexibility, shape and thickness on performance parameters like steady speed and cost of transport (COT).

Effect of Kinematics and Caudal Fin Properties on Performance of a Freely-Swimming Fin (Master's Thesis)

Freely-swimming vs Tethered

In this numerical study, we designed the caudal fin as a rigid body for a freely-swimming fish undergoing combined pitch and heave motion. Further, we compared its performance to the thrust and efficiency of a tethered fin. Our results indicated that the phase offset between pitch and heave corresponding to optimal performance for a freely-swimming fin differ from tethered fin.