Research on the Turning Maneuverability of a Bionic Robotic Dolphin
Zhonghua Yang, Weijie Gong, Hong Chen, Sen Wang, Guojing Zhang
Abstract
This paper studies four patterns for the maneuverability of robotic dolphins: turning with flapping flippers, turning with swing flippers, turning with head offset, and turning with head-flipper coordination. Turning maneuverability is one of the important evaluation indexes for the performance of underwater bionic robots, and existing literature has rarely theoretically or experimentally evaluated turning maneuverability for the latter two turning patterns. In this paper, we establish a dynamic model for the high maneuverability of underwater bionic robots and discuss the influence of motion design parameters, including the frequency of the pectoral fins and the offset angle of the head, on the turning maneuverability, focusing on the turning angular velocity and turning radius. To verify the effectiveness and control accuracy of the dynamic model, we develop a multidegree-of-freedom (multi-DOF) and high-maneuverability bionic robotic dolphin and test its maneuverability through experiments. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that the established dynamic model can successfully predict the turning maneuverability of robotic dolphins. In addition, the turning methods in this paper have better turning performance than some robotic fish. This paper provides a reference for the establishment of a maneuvering dynamics model for underwater bionic robots and a theoretical basis for the design of a turning maneuver control system.