Biomimetic Robotic Fish Powered By Hydraulic Mc Kibben
Biomimetic Robotic Fish Powered By Hydraulic Mc. Kibben Muscles Seaver Wrisley John Chiu Felix Liu Zachary Novak Faculty Advisors: Dr. Kathleen Lamkin-Kennard Richard Lux
Project Goals • Design and build a fully submersible robotic fish platform powered by Mc. Kibben muscles • Execute realistic fish motion with a fish-like appearance • Prove feasibility of hydraulic, autonomous Mc. Kibben muscles
Background: What’s a Mc. Kibben Muscle? • A fluid-pressure powered muscle • Soft rubber tubing inside a braided sheath • Radial expansion causes axial contraction [1] Air hose Pneumatic Bladder End Caps Weaved Sleeve
Background: What’s a Mc. Kibben Muscle? • A fluid-pressure powered muscle • Soft rubber tubing inside a braided sheath • Radial expansion causes axial contraction [1] Pressurized Fluid
Why Mc. Kibben muscles? • Smooth motion • Lightweight, flexible • Biomimetic • Applications to: – – Soft or underwater robotics Assistive technologies Remote maintenance or surveillance Manufacturing [2]
Design Features Followed a formal design process, resulting in: • Watertight polycarbonate enclosure • Fluid system – – – • Controls – – • Arduino, batteries, necessary circuitry Bluetooth-controlled through smartphone app Motion parameters from literature – – – • Internal centrifugal pump Solenoid valve bank Hydraulic muscles Body-caudal type locomotion, such as for salmon or bass Can be represented as distinct segments with waveforms Phase delay between waveforms captured in solenoid timing Appearance – – Composite fiberglass shell with realistic paint-job Rubberized Spandex fabric as tail skin [3]
Results
Results
Summary • Results: – Novel robotic design that utilizes hydraulic Mc. Kibben style muscles – Realistic, successful, inexpensive prototype – Future applications in underwater exploration • Unique Design Features: – First autonomous design to utilize air muscles in hydraulic configuration – No onboard fluid reservoir required – Onboard controls with Bluetooth communication
Acknowledgements Funding for the project has been provided by Dr. Lamkin-Kennard, and the RIT Multidisciplinary Senior Design program. Special thanks to: Our advisors Dr. Lamkin-Kennard and Rick Lux Dave Hathaway and the ME Machine Shop staff Kwadwo Opong Mensah John Bonzo and the Brinkman Lab For more information: Project website: http: //edge. rit. edu/edge/P 14029/public/Home Search You. Tube for “RIT Robotic Fish”
References [1] Laboratory, S. I. , 2013, Development of High Hydraulic Pressure Mckibben Artificial Muscle and Its Application to Light Spreader, 8/6/13, http: //www. act. sys. okayamau. ac. jp/kouseigaku/research/2009/system/spreader/reseach_e. html [2]http: //edge. rit. edu/edge/P 14253/public/Final. Documents/Final_paper/P 1 4253_Tech. Paper_Final. docx [3]http: //proceedings. asmedigitalcollection. asme. org/proceeding. aspx? articl e. ID=1820341
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