Design and Control of Multi-Rigid Link Pectoral Fins Using Virtual Spring-Damper System for a Manta Ray Robot

Biomimetic robots have the advantage of propulsion efficiency and maneuverability. Manta ray robots with soft, flexible, and distributed multi-stage pectoral fins have been proposed. Robots with flexible fins can be propelled by varying the phase difference and amplitude of each pectoral fin. Howeve...

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Main Authors: Takumi Asada, Tatsunari Tsujimoto, Takao Oki, Hideo Furuhashi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2025-01-01
Series:IEEE Access
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10967475/
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author Takumi Asada
Tatsunari Tsujimoto
Takao Oki
Hideo Furuhashi
author_facet Takumi Asada
Tatsunari Tsujimoto
Takao Oki
Hideo Furuhashi
author_sort Takumi Asada
collection DOAJ
description Biomimetic robots have the advantage of propulsion efficiency and maneuverability. Manta ray robots with soft, flexible, and distributed multi-stage pectoral fins have been proposed. Robots with flexible fins can be propelled by varying the phase difference and amplitude of each pectoral fin. However, it is still difficult to uniquely define the state of soft, flexible fins, which are passively controlled. Robots with soft and flexible fins are susceptible to various water conditions. In this study, we designed a manta ray robot with multi-rigid link pectoral fins that can actively reproduce uniquely define bending. To actively reproduce the bending and propulsion of the manta ray, we propose a virtual spring-damper system. The validity of this design and control method was verified through experiments on the movement trajectories and swimming. It was found that the manta ray robot using the proposed design and control reproduced bending and achieved high speed and turning performance. This shows that the proposed design and control methods exhibit the same or better performance than the soft fins. These methods expected to be further applications for biomimetics robots, enabling active control, with uniquely defined bending and fin performance.
format Article
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issn 2169-3536
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publisher IEEE
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spelling doaj-art-3e4e08369b954bbf82fe078a43b855032025-08-20T02:56:02ZengIEEEIEEE Access2169-35362025-01-0113787697878010.1109/ACCESS.2025.356208110967475Design and Control of Multi-Rigid Link Pectoral Fins Using Virtual Spring-Damper System for a Manta Ray RobotTakumi Asada0https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3050-4635Tatsunari Tsujimoto1https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8912-9104Takao Oki2https://orcid.org/0009-0007-0672-6071Hideo Furuhashi3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0015-7203Graduate School of Engineering, Aichi Institute of Technology, Toyota, Aichi, JapanGraduate School of Engineering, Aichi Institute of Technology, Toyota, Aichi, JapanGraduate School of Engineering, Aichi Institute of Technology, Toyota, Aichi, JapanGraduate School of Engineering, Aichi Institute of Technology, Toyota, Aichi, JapanBiomimetic robots have the advantage of propulsion efficiency and maneuverability. Manta ray robots with soft, flexible, and distributed multi-stage pectoral fins have been proposed. Robots with flexible fins can be propelled by varying the phase difference and amplitude of each pectoral fin. However, it is still difficult to uniquely define the state of soft, flexible fins, which are passively controlled. Robots with soft and flexible fins are susceptible to various water conditions. In this study, we designed a manta ray robot with multi-rigid link pectoral fins that can actively reproduce uniquely define bending. To actively reproduce the bending and propulsion of the manta ray, we propose a virtual spring-damper system. The validity of this design and control method was verified through experiments on the movement trajectories and swimming. It was found that the manta ray robot using the proposed design and control reproduced bending and achieved high speed and turning performance. This shows that the proposed design and control methods exhibit the same or better performance than the soft fins. These methods expected to be further applications for biomimetics robots, enabling active control, with uniquely defined bending and fin performance.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10967475/Multi-rigid linkvirtual spring-damper systembiomimeticsmanta ray robotunderwater robot
spellingShingle Takumi Asada
Tatsunari Tsujimoto
Takao Oki
Hideo Furuhashi
Design and Control of Multi-Rigid Link Pectoral Fins Using Virtual Spring-Damper System for a Manta Ray Robot
IEEE Access
Multi-rigid link
virtual spring-damper system
biomimetics
manta ray robot
underwater robot
title Design and Control of Multi-Rigid Link Pectoral Fins Using Virtual Spring-Damper System for a Manta Ray Robot
title_full Design and Control of Multi-Rigid Link Pectoral Fins Using Virtual Spring-Damper System for a Manta Ray Robot
title_fullStr Design and Control of Multi-Rigid Link Pectoral Fins Using Virtual Spring-Damper System for a Manta Ray Robot
title_full_unstemmed Design and Control of Multi-Rigid Link Pectoral Fins Using Virtual Spring-Damper System for a Manta Ray Robot
title_short Design and Control of Multi-Rigid Link Pectoral Fins Using Virtual Spring-Damper System for a Manta Ray Robot
title_sort design and control of multi rigid link pectoral fins using virtual spring damper system for a manta ray robot
topic Multi-rigid link
virtual spring-damper system
biomimetics
manta ray robot
underwater robot
url https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10967475/
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AT takaooki designandcontrolofmultirigidlinkpectoralfinsusingvirtualspringdampersystemforamantarayrobot
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