Body Caudal Undulation Measured by Soft Sensors and Emulated by Soft Artificial Muscles

Abstract

We propose the use of bio-inspired robotics equipped with soft sensor technologies to gain a better understanding of the mechanics and control of animal movement. Soft robotic systems can be used to generate new hypotheses and uncover fundamental principles underlying animal locomotion and sensory capabilities, which could subsequently be validated using living organisms. Physical models increasingly include lateral body movements, notably back and tail bending, which are necessary for horizontal plane undulation in model systems ranging from fish to amphibians and reptiles. We present a comparative study of the use of physical modeling in conjunction with soft robotics and integrated soft and hyperelastic sensors to monitor local pressures, enabling local feedback control, and discuss issues related to understanding the mechanics and control of undulatory locomotion. A parallel approach combining live animal data with biorobotic physical modeling promises to be beneficial for gaining a better understanding of systems in motion.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Aug 20, 2021
Source ID
10.1093/icb/icab182

Entities

People

  • Ardian Jusufi
  • Elias T Lunsford
  • Fabian Schwab
  • Fabian Wiesemüller
  • James C Liao
  • Mirko Kovac
  • Otar Akanyeti
  • Taehwa Hong
  • Yong-Lae Park

Organizations

  • Aberystwyth University
  • European Commission
  • Imperial College London
  • Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems
  • Max Planck Society
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Science Foundation
  • Seoul National University
  • Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology
  • University of Florida
  • Welsh Government

Tags

Readers

  • Distributed Systems and Data Platform Development
  • Robotics and Automation.
  • Trauma Surgery or Emergency Medicine.

Technology Areas

  • AI & ML
  • AI & ML - Autonomous Systems
  • Autonomy
  • Autonomy - Autonomous System Control