Our new soft robot is more energy efficient and reaches a speed of 6.8 body lengths per second. This is a significant improvement from the previous design.
The fins are attached to a flexible, silicone body that contains a chamber that can be pumped full of air, allowing the robot to swim up and down.
Pumping air into the chamber introduces energy into the system, and releasing the air releases the energy in the fins, thus aiding in efficiency.
Studying the fluid dynamics of manta rays played a key role in controlling the vertical movement of the robot, enhancing its swimming capabilities.
Collection
[
|
...
]