Post on 03-Aug-2020
AcknowledgmentsFunding:
Funding for the project has been provided by Dr. Lamkin-Kennard and the Bio Engineering Lab, and the RIT Multidisciplinary Senior Design program.
Funding:Funding for the project has been provided by Dr. Lamkin-Kennard and the
Bio Engineering Lab, and the RIT Multidisciplinary Senior Design program.
AbstractAbstractThe use of artificial muscles to mimic complex animal motions has receivedsignificant scientific attention in recent years. Fish locomotion is also one of the mostenergy efficient forms of locomotion. To this end, an untethered autonomousbiomimetic fish was constructed that utilizes McKibben type hydraulic muscles as thesole means of force production. The project goal was to provethe feasibility of usingpneumatic artificial muscles in an autonomous hydraulic configuration to produce alow-cost robot capable of realistic fish locomotion in an underwater environment.Both simulation and experimentation were used during our design process, and theresulting robot successfully integrates an onboard pump, valves, artificial muscles, amicroprocessor, and wireless Bluetooth communication to produce realistic,biomimetic fish motion.
AbstractThe use of artificial muscles to mimic complex animal motions has receivedsignificant scientific attention in recent years. Fish locomotion is also one of the mostenergy efficient forms of locomotion. To this end, an untethered autonomousbiomimetic fish was constructed that utilizes McKibben type hydraulic muscles as thesole means of force production. The project goal was to provethe feasibility of usingpneumatic artificial muscles in an autonomous hydraulic configuration to produce alow-cost robot capable of realistic fish locomotion in an underwater environment.Both simulation and experimentation were used during our design process, and theresulting robot successfully integrates an onboard pump, valves, artificial muscles, amicroprocessor, and wireless Bluetooth communication to produce realistic,biomimetic fish motion.
The use of artificial muscles to mimic complex animal motions has receivedsignificant scientific attention in recent years. Fish locomotion is also one of the mostenergy efficient forms of locomotion. To this end, an untethered autonomousbiomimetic fish was constructed that utilizes McKibben type hydraulic muscles as thesole means of force production. The project goal was to provethe feasibility of usingpneumatic artificial muscles in an autonomous hydraulic configuration to produce alow-cost robot capable of realistic fish locomotion in an underwater environment.Both simulation and experimentation were used during our design process, and theresulting robot successfully integrates an onboard pump, valves, artificial muscles, amicroprocessor, and wireless Bluetooth communication to produce realistic,biomimetic fish motion.
Felix LiuControls Lead
Seaver WrisleyLead Engineer
Zachary NovakProject Manager
John ChiuMechanical Design Lead
Design FeaturesDesign FeaturesConstruction• Rigid front half of the fish is a waterproof polycarbonate
box with the pump, solenoids, batteries, electronics, etc.• Additional sealed compartment for sensitive electronics
• Rear half of the fish makes up the tail portion of the robot• 3 segments provide wider actuation range• Muscles mounted under the head to increase stroke
length and actuation distance• SolidWorksTM buoyancy analysis was used to design for
proper weight distribution and buoyancy• Painted, hand layup style fiberglass shell gives fish
desired appearance• Bottom left open to display muscles operating
• Rubberized Spandex fabric serves as “skin” over the flexible part of the fish
Construction• Rigid front half of the fish is a waterproof polycarbonate
box with the pump, solenoids, batteries, electronics, etc.• Additional sealed compartment for sensitive electronics
• Rear half of the fish makes up the tail portion of the robot• 3 segments provide wider actuation range• Muscles mounted under the head to increase stroke
length and actuation distance• SolidWorksTM buoyancy analysis was used to design for
proper weight distribution and buoyancy• Painted, hand layup style fiberglass shell gives fish
desired appearance• Bottom left open to display muscles operating
• Rubberized Spandex fabric serves as “skin” over the flexible part of the fish
Operation• Inlet water is taken from
surrounding medium• Water is pressurized by
onboard centrifugal pump• Solenoids control the flow
of water to each muscle• As the muscles contract, lines pull and swing the tail
segments side-to-side
Operation• Inlet water is taken from
surrounding medium• Water is pressurized by
onboard centrifugal pump• Solenoids control the flow
of water to each muscle• As the muscles contract, lines pull and swing the tail
segments side-to-side
Results & ConclusionsResults & ConclusionsA biomimetic, wirelessly controlled robotic fish powered byhydraulic McKibben muscles was designed and built at a lowcost using a formal design process. It is the first autonomousdesign to utilize air muscles in a hydraulic configuration,andcapable of executing straight-line and turning motions. Uniquedesign features include the ability to use the surroundingmedium for actuation with no onboard storage requirements,arealistic fiberglass shell, and Bluetooth communication.Benefits include a better understanding of fish motion, andfuture applications include marine research of fish behavior,military surveillance, and underwater exploration.
A biomimetic, wirelessly controlled robotic fish powered byhydraulic McKibben muscles was designed and built at a lowcost using a formal design process. It is the first autonomousdesign to utilize air muscles in a hydraulic configuration,andcapable of executing straight-line and turning motions. Uniquedesign features include the ability to use the surroundingmedium for actuation with no onboard storage requirements,arealistic fiberglass shell, and Bluetooth communication.Benefits include a better understanding of fish motion, andfuture applications include marine research of fish behavior,military surveillance, and underwater exploration.
Formal Design ProcessFormal Design ProcessFormal Design ProcessSystem Level
Design
Problem Definition and Planning
Subsystem Level
Design
Detailed Design
Build, Test, and
Integrate
Final Product
Benefits:• Literature review and MATLAB motion simulations aided design decisions• Advanced planning enabled optimized layout for buoyancy and C.O.G.
References[1] Xu, J.-X., Ren, Q., Gao, W., and Niu, X.-L., 2012, “Mimicry of fish swimming patterns in a robotic fish,” 2012 IEEE International Symposium on Industrial Electronics (ISIE), pp. 1274–1279, http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/articleDetails.jsp?arnumber=6237273&tag=1[2] Couper, N., Day, R., Renahan, P., Streeter, P., and DeBartolo, E., 2013, "Air Muscle Powered Ankle Foot Orthotic," Proc. ASME 2013 Summer Bioengineering Conference, Sunriver, Oregon[3] Fickenscher, W., Warren, J., Taddeo, J., Jasinski, C., and Mason, E., 2014, P14253 Home, 7/17/14, http://edge.rit.edu/content/P14253/public/Home[4] Smith, M., 2013, MSD I, 7/14/14, https://mycourses.rit.edu/d2l/le/content/466680/viewContent/2570452/View[5] 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.okayama-u.ac.jp/kouseigaku/research/2009/system/spreader/reseach_e.html
[1] Xu, J.-X., Ren, Q., Gao, W., and Niu, X.-L., 2012, “Mimicry of fish swimming patterns in a robotic fish,” 2012 IEEE International Symposium on Industrial Electronics (ISIE), pp. 1274–1279, http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/articleDetails.jsp?arnumber=6237273&tag=1[2] Couper, N., Day, R., Renahan, P., Streeter, P., and DeBartolo, E., 2013, "Air Muscle Powered Ankle Foot Orthotic," Proc. ASME 2013 Summer Bioengineering Conference, Sunriver, Oregon[3] Fickenscher, W., Warren, J., Taddeo, J., Jasinski, C., and Mason, E., 2014, P14253 Home, 7/17/14, http://edge.rit.edu/content/P14253/public/Home[4] Smith, M., 2013, MSD I, 7/14/14, https://mycourses.rit.edu/d2l/le/content/466680/viewContent/2570452/View[5] 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.okayama-u.ac.jp/kouseigaku/research/2009/system/spreader/reseach_e.html
Special Thanks:Our advisors Dr. Lamkin-Kennard and Rick LuxDave Hathaway and the ME Machine Shop staff
Kwadwo Opong Mensah for Arduino Bluetooth helpDr. Mario Gomes and Shriya Gosavi for use of their testing tank
John Bonzo and the Brinkman Lab
Special Thanks:Our advisors Dr. Lamkin-Kennard and Rick LuxDave Hathaway and the ME Machine Shop staff
Kwadwo Opong Mensah for Arduino Bluetooth helpDr. Mario Gomes and Shriya Gosavi for use of their testing tank
John Bonzo and the Brinkman Lab
Control System• Arduino Mega controls motion through a relay and several
MOSFET transistors, to turn the pump on and off and control the solenoid valves individually
• System is powered by two Lithium Polymer batteries• Controlled by any Bluetooth-enabled device
• Arduino is preloaded with a set program• Signals received through the Bluefruit module instruct
the Arduino on which set of code to execute in order to reduce upload time.
Control System• Arduino Mega controls motion through a relay and several
MOSFET transistors, to turn the pump on and off and control the solenoid valves individually
• System is powered by two Lithium Polymer batteries• Controlled by any Bluetooth-enabled device
• Arduino is preloaded with a set program• Signals received through the Bluefruit module instruct
the Arduino on which set of code to execute in order to reduce upload time.
Results• Resulting fish motion was analyzed using the TrackerTM video
analysis program developed by Cabrillo College• A high-level view of the performance and requirements matrix is
shown below
Results• Resulting fish motion was analyzed using the TrackerTM video
analysis program developed by Cabrillo College• A high-level view of the performance and requirements matrix is
shown below
• Body-caudal locomotion is a common type of locomotion, seen in species such as salmon or bass
• Can be modeled with the front half of the body as rigid and the back half as oscillatory
• The key parameters are oscillation frequency and
• Body-caudal locomotion is a common type of locomotion, seen in species such as salmon or bass
• Can be modeled with the front half of the body as rigid and the back half as oscillatory
• The key parameters are oscillation frequency and
Fish Motion: Theory and SimulationFish Motion: Theory and Simulation
phase shift; these were simulated in MATLAB for visualization and to determine required pump capabilities.
phase shift; these were simulated in MATLAB for visualization and to determine required pump capabilities.[1][1]
McKibben Muscles: Background and TestingMcKibben Muscles: Background and TestingAdvantages• Smooth motion• Lightweight,
flexible• Biomimetic
McKibben Muscles: Background and TestingAdvantages• Smooth motion• Lightweight,
flexible• Biomimetic
Advantages• Smooth motion• Lightweight,
flexible• Biomimetic
1) Tubing - expands under pressure2) Braided sleeve - expands radially and contracts axially3) Clamp4) Plug withattachmentpoint
1) Tubing - expands under pressure2) Braided sleeve - expands radially and contracts axially3) Clamp4) Plug withattachmentpoint
Applications to:• Assistive
technologies• Soft or underwater
robotics• Manufacturing
Applications to:• Assistive
technologies• Soft or underwater
robotics• Manufacturing
ComponentsComponents
Preliminary testing included determiningmuscle force and strain characteristics forproper sizing. This plot illustrates thedifferences caused by a smaller sleevingdiameter and tubing wall thickness.
Preliminary testing included determiningmuscle force and strain characteristics forproper sizing. This plot illustrates thedifferences caused by a smaller sleevingdiameter and tubing wall thickness.
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