Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a tiny manta ray robot that uses a butterfly stroke to swim faster and more efficiently. More specifically, it boasts two flexible polyester manta-ray-like wings, forming the left- and right-hand ends of a single curved bistable structure.
A bistable structure basically refers to a tensioned structure’s ability to remain in either of two positions without requiring any energy to do so. In this case, the robot’s bistable wing structure is located between top and bottom soft silicone pneumatic actuators. Activating the two actuators back and forth via an external air pump enabled it to flap its wings fast enough for an average swimming speed of 3.74 body lengths per second, or four times faster than other soft-bodied swimming robots.
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Pumping air into the chamber introduces energy into the system. The fins want to return to their stable state, so releasing the air also releases the energy in the fins. That means we only need one actuator for the robot and allows for more rapid actuation,” said Haitao Qing, first author of the paper and a Ph.D. student at NC State.
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