New Robot That Mimics Jellyfish Could Be Used for Underwater Archeological Sites
Researchers have developed a flexible robot that can propel itself through water in the same style as an Aurelia aurita jellyfish.
Engineers from the University of Edinburg and the University of Southampton have designed a robot that mimics the movements of squid and jellyfish for efficient propulsion underwater. Both squid and jellyfish use a similar swimming manner by repeatedly expanding and contracting a flexible internal cavity to produce a jet of fluid that pushes them forward in an efficient form of movement. The researchers describe that efficiency as “cost of transport,” the ratio of power spent on propulsion compared to the weight and speed of an animal, which is used to compare movement efficiencies between different species.
Past research has shown that the Aurelia aurita (Moon Jelly) jellyfish is the most efficient swimmer in nature, beating running and flying animals and bony fish. The team modeled their robot using a propulsion method similar to how the Moon Jelly propels itself through water, using a mechanism made from a rubber exterior membrane that encloses 3D printed flexible ribs, which work together to push the robot through the water.
The propulsion mechanism functions by using a small piston to repeatedly tap the top of the internal rubber membrane (AKA bell) so that it expands and springs back to its normal position. It’s that action that produces a jet of water the robot utilizes to swim. When the piston strikes the bell, it generates a resonant frequency that pushes the robot at a speed of about one body length per second, matching that of the Moon Jelly. The engineer state that their new robot could be used for underwater exploration or even work at submerged archeological sites around the world.