302
designed to create and control forces like the pectoral fi n of the bluegill sunfi sh
( L. macrochirus ). […] However, the speed of these large polymer fi lms was slow,
and must be increased if the fi n’s shape is to be modulated synchronously with the
fi n’s fl apping motion. Free standing linear conducting polymer fi lms can generate
large stresses and strains, but there are many engineering obstacles that must
be resolved in order to create linear polymer actuators that generate simultaneously
the forces, displacements, and actuation rates required by the fi n. [ It was demonstrated ] two approaches that are being used to solve the engineering challenges
involved in utilizing conducting polymer linear actuators: the manufacture of long,
uniform ribbons of polymer and gold fi lm, and the parallel actuation of multiple
conducting polymer fi lms,” (Tangorra et al. 2007a ).
George Lauder and co-workers have developed a computer controlled robotic
fl apping foil device that allows measurement of the effect of different fl exible foil
motion programs and materials on swimming speed. This construct and details of
self-propelled swimming speed measurement are described in Lauder et al. ( 2007 ).
These researches used so called LabView program that takes input from linear
encoders on the fl apping foil robotic apparatus to tune the fl ow tank speed so that
the mean position is constant over a fl apping cycle (Lauder et al. 2011 ; Oeffner and
Lauder 2012 ).
As analysed by Lauder and co-authors ( 2011 ), “at present, most robotic fi sh
models of whole fi sh or fi sh fi ns use a single rigid or uniformly fl exible membrane
to transmit force to the water. Even in the more complex robotic fi sh models with
jointed and individually actuated fi n rays, the surface conformation of the propulsor
cannot be easily altered. The advent of smart materials that allow surface conformational changes in a controlled way will greatly enhance our ability to design robotic
fi sh-like devices with performance that is closer to real animals. Thus, despite some
recent signifi cant advances in understanding the material composition and function
of fi sh, there is still only the most general understanding of the materials that make
up a fi sh body and fi ns and how these materials function during natural behaviors
such as swimming,” (Lauder et al. 2011 ; see also Shadwick and Lauder 2006 ;
Summers and Long 2006 ).
7.5.2 Fish Biorobotics
Recently, numerous excellent works on a robot resembling real fi sh have been published (see for review Lauder et al. 2007 ; Low 2009 ; Kopman and Porfi ri 2011 ;
Garnier 2011 ; Polverino et al. 2012 ). Moreover, there are experiments which include
a combination of both the living fi sh and a robot. “The integration of biomimetic
robots in a fi sh school may enable a better understanding of collective behaviour,
offering a new experimental method to test group feedback in response to behavioural
modulations of its ‘engineered’ member,” (Marras and Porfi ri 2012 ). Recently, Marras
and Porfi ri ( 2012 ) analysed “a robotic fi sh and individual golden shiners ( Notemigonus
crysoleucas ) swimming together in a water tunnel at different fl ow velocities. It was
7 Fish Fins and Rays as Inspiration for Materials Engineering and Robotics
designed to create and control forces like the pectoral fi n of the bluegill sunfi sh
( L. macrochirus ). […] However, the speed of these large polymer fi lms was slow,
and must be increased if the fi n’s shape is to be modulated synchronously with the
fi n’s fl apping motion. Free standing linear conducting polymer fi lms can generate
large stresses and strains, but there are many engineering obstacles that must
be resolved in order to create linear polymer actuators that generate simultaneously
the forces, displacements, and actuation rates required by the fi n. [ It was demonstrated ] two approaches that are being used to solve the engineering challenges
involved in utilizing conducting polymer linear actuators: the manufacture of long,
uniform ribbons of polymer and gold fi lm, and the parallel actuation of multiple
conducting polymer fi lms,” (Tangorra et al. 2007a ).
George Lauder and co-workers have developed a computer controlled robotic
fl apping foil device that allows measurement of the effect of different fl exible foil
motion programs and materials on swimming speed. This construct and details of
self-propelled swimming speed measurement are described in Lauder et al. ( 2007 ).
These researches used so called LabView program that takes input from linear
encoders on the fl apping foil robotic apparatus to tune the fl ow tank speed so that
the mean position is constant over a fl apping cycle (Lauder et al. 2011 ; Oeffner and
Lauder 2012 ).
As analysed by Lauder and co-authors ( 2011 ), “at present, most robotic fi sh
models of whole fi sh or fi sh fi ns use a single rigid or uniformly fl exible membrane
to transmit force to the water. Even in the more complex robotic fi sh models with
jointed and individually actuated fi n rays, the surface conformation of the propulsor
cannot be easily altered. The advent of smart materials that allow surface conformational changes in a controlled way will greatly enhance our ability to design robotic
fi sh-like devices with performance that is closer to real animals. Thus, despite some
recent signifi cant advances in understanding the material composition and function
of fi sh, there is still only the most general understanding of the materials that make
up a fi sh body and fi ns and how these materials function during natural behaviors
such as swimming,” (Lauder et al. 2011 ; see also Shadwick and Lauder 2006 ;
Summers and Long 2006 ).
7.5.2 Fish Biorobotics
Recently, numerous excellent works on a robot resembling real fi sh have been published (see for review Lauder et al. 2007 ; Low 2009 ; Kopman and Porfi ri 2011 ;
Garnier 2011 ; Polverino et al. 2012 ). Moreover, there are experiments which include
a combination of both the living fi sh and a robot. “The integration of biomimetic
robots in a fi sh school may enable a better understanding of collective behaviour,
offering a new experimental method to test group feedback in response to behavioural
modulations of its ‘engineered’ member,” (Marras and Porfi ri 2012 ). Recently, Marras
and Porfi ri ( 2012 ) analysed “a robotic fi sh and individual golden shiners ( Notemigonus
crysoleucas ) swimming together in a water tunnel at different fl ow velocities. It was
7 Fish Fins and Rays as Inspiration for Materials Engineering and Robotics