Simulation and optimization of live fish locomotion in a biomimetic robot fish

Abstract

This paper presents simplified hydrodynamics model for a biomimetic robot fish based on quantitative morphological and kinematic parameters of crangiform fish. The motion of four Pangasius sanitwongsei with different length and swimming speed were recorded by the digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) and image processing methods and optimal coefficients of the motion equations and appropriate location of joints are empirically derived. The swimming speed of fish can be adjusted by changing oscillating frequency, amplitude and the length of oscillatory part, respectively. Experimental results show that the oscillating amplitude increases dramatically from 1/3 of body and is very small near the head. So the second order function which describes wave amplitude of Pangasius sanitwongsei undulatory movement equation was found and the oscillatory motion of the biomimetic robot fish will be simulated according to this equation.