See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/337794107

Design, Modeling, and Control of Biomimetic Fish Robot: A Review

Article in Journal of Bionic Engineering · November 2019

DOI: 10.1007/s42235-019-0111-7

CITATIONS READS

59 1,311

3 authors, including:

Palmani Duraisamy Rakesh Kumar Sidharthan

SASTRA University HCL
5 PUBLICATIONS 63 CITATIONS 41 PUBLICATIONS 304 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Cable driven robot as a blackboard writer for remote classrooms: Modelling, control and trajectory planning View project

A novel low–cost vision based computer interface platform for automation using dynamic visual patterns View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Palmani Duraisamy on 11 December 2019.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

J Bionic Eng 16 (2019) 967–993 Journal of Bionic Engineering
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42235-019-0111-7 http://www.springer.com/journal/42235

Design, Modeling, and Control of Biomimetic Fish Robot: A Review

Palmani Duraisamy, Rakesh Kumar Sidharthan, Manigandan Nagarajan Santhanakrishnan*

Robotics Laboratory, Department of Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering, SASTRA Deemed University,
Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu-613401, India

Abstract
A comprehensive review on bio-inspired fish robots has been done in this article with an enhanced focus on swimming styles, actu-
ators, hydrodynamics, kinematic-dynamic modeling, and controllers. Swimming styles such as body and/or caudal fin and median and/or
paired fin and their variants are discussed in detail. Literature shows that most fish robots adapt carangiform in body and/or caudal fin type
swimming as it gives significant thrust with a maximum speed of 3.7 m·s−1 in iSplash-II. Applications of smart or soft actuators to enhance
real-time dynamics was studied from literature, and it was found that the robot built with polymer fiber composite material could reach a
speed of 0.6 m·s−1. However, dynamic modeling is relatively complex, and material selection needs to be explored. The numerical and
analytical methods in dynamic modeling have been investigated highlighting merits and demerits. Hydrodynamic parameter estimation
through the data-driven model is widely used in offline, however online estimation of the same need to be explored. Classical controllers
are frequently used for navigation and stabilization, which often encounters the linearization problem and hence, can be replaced with the
state-of-the-art adaptive and intelligent controller. This article also summarizes the potential research gaps and future scopes.
Keywords: biomimetic fish robot, swimming modes, hydrodynamic modeling, motion control, smart actuators
Copyright © 2019, Jilin University.

research can be carried out. Section 2 elaborates on dif-

1 Introduction
ferent swimming styles of real fishes and implementa-
Biomimetic underwater vehicles have been an tion of the same into robotic fish. Section 3 focuses on
important area of research as it can replicate a real fish classification of actuators used in fish-inspired propul-
motion unlike propeller-based vehicles. Recent research sion system and its principle of working with signific-
on these vehicles explores various possibilities in im- ance. Modeling of hydrodynamics and its impact on
proving propulsion efficiency, maneuverability and swimming is essential for efficient design, sections 4 and
speed through different structural designs and control 5 addresses the hydrodynamic effects and the challenges
strategies[1–6]. The scientific study on fish locomo- in modeling a robotic fish. Section 6 provides a detailed
tion[7–13] highlights the design structures, morphological review of different control methods used in open and
features of fishes and mathematical modeling relating closed-loop environment. To understand the modeling in
the complex motions with thrust and lateral forces. The a better way, it is necessary to analyze and compare the
first robotic fish (Robo Tuna) was developed in 1994 at performance parameters like forward velocity, undula-
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with struc- tion frequency, turning speed, impact on performance
tures made of stainless steel, gears, and cables[14,15]. with respect to the number of joints. Section 7 analyses
Subsequently, different models G9 series[16], Ichthus and compares these parameters from existing works and
V5.7[17], iSplash-I[18] of robotic fishes were developed infers various solutions for further designs in this field.
and tested. Recently in 2014 iSplash-II fish robot was Section 8 provides a comprehensive discussion on var-
designed and developed, which can travel with a forward ious research gaps in robotic fish design, an outline for
velocity of 11.6 BL·s−1 (BL is body length of the fish) future directions in this field, and finally prospective
and in the standard unit, it is about 3.7 m·s−1[3]. This conclusion.
paper is organized into nine sections, and in each section, The notable reviews in this field have been re-
an attempt is made to identify the gaps, where further ported[19–26] time to time for the past two decades.

*Corresponding author: Manigandan Nagarajan Santhanakrishnan

E-mail: [email protected]
 968 Journal of Bionic Engineering (2019) Vol.16 No.6

Though, extensive review on swimming style has been

found in literature, association of swimming style with
various performance metrics are less investigated. This
review paper presents a detailed comparison of perfor-
mance metrics such as swimming speed vs body length,

Number of papers
oscillation or undulation frequency, swimming style,
actuator type, and joints. Additionally, swimming speed
of real fish vs robot fish have been compared, which
sheds light on further developments to be achieved in this
area. A total of 23 robot fishes with electrical actuators
and 20 with smart or soft actuators developed during the

inspired propulsion
Swimming styles
Introduction

dynamic modeling
Hydrodynamic

Challenges
performance
controller design
Actuators in fish-
past 2 decades have been considered in this article. From

Analysis of
mechanism and

parameters
consideration

Kinematic and
and design

effects

Control
systems
the above comparison, the readers can identify the rela-
tive effects of various metrics and appropriately incor-
porate the same for achieving better design. Various
conventional methods for kinematic and hydrodynamic
Fig. 1 Section-wise distribution of references.
modeling have been discussed with emphasis on its me-
rits and demerits. The need for online data-driven mod- tail-flapping propulsion and exhibits rapid swimming
eling is highlighted since it can maintain the non-linearity and turning. Most agile fishes like Sailfish, Tuna, and
thus minimizing the effect of linearization during control. Pike uses tail flapping. The MPF uses pectoral, dorsal,
With respect to control of fish robot, 14 manipulating and anal fins to generate propulsion. Though this
variables and their impact on 5 control modes have been swimming mode is slower, it excels in terms of greater
discussed. Application of classical and modern control- maneuverability with high Degrees of Freedom (DoF),
lers in robot fish control with its limitations has been enhanced controllability, and high efficiency.
presented. The importance of intelligent controllers has About 85 % of the fish species produce thrust using
been emphasized as the system model is highly BCF and the remaining 15 % with MPF propulsion[6].
non-linear and interaction between the system and sur- The BCF type and MPF type propulsion are further
rounding is stochastic in nature. A total of 142 research categorized into two modes, such as undulation motion
articles and 10 books have been referred and Fig. 1 illu- (Sine mode) and oscillation motion (C mode). Sine
strates a bird’s eye view on number of papers referred mode involves transit of full-wave along the body axis,
under the various sections. whereas C mode involves oscillation of body or fins
2 Swimming styles and design considerations without exhibiting a wave formation. The classification
of fish families based on various swimming styles dis-
Fish exhibits a mixture of movements, which in- cussed above is shown in Fig. 2. During steady move-
volves both non-swimming characteristics such as ment, BCF type swimmer undergoes a traveling wave
jumping, gliding, crawling, etc. and swimming charac- motion, where the fish body displaces laterally with re-
teristics. The swimming movement can be classified as spect to the body axis. This motion is also called as lateral
sustained and deciduous motion. The former involves motion denoted by h(x, t). Lateral motion is expressed
traveling long distances at a constant speed, whereas using three odd Fourier terms as expressed in Eq. (1)[27]:
deciduous motion is about quick begin and sharp turns to
avoid being hunted. The current research areas are more 2π
h( x, t )  H ( x)sin(t  x), 0  x  1,   0, (1)
inclined towards sustained motion compared to deci- 
duous type. Fish swimming is basically categorized where, H(x) = a1 + a2x + a3x2 is wave envelope, a1, a2
into two types based on propulsion such as BCF pro- and a3 are amplitude coefficients, and λ = 2π/k. Increase
pulsion and MPF propulsion. BCF is also referred to as of k (wavenumber) changes the swimming mode from C

View publication stats