Propeller-less Underwater Deployment Robots

Two types of biologically-inspired underwater robotic systems are introduced for underwater deployment and inspection purpose: 1) Amoebot, a shape-changing robot that mimics the swimming action of microorganism; 2) RoboGlider, an under-actuated 1DOF robotic platform whose locomotion is inspired by the phenomenon of falling leaf or paper. The movement of those underwater systems can be explained using the concept of dynamical systems modeled upon the solid-fluid interactions. Computer simulation of the locomotion and construction of experimental prototypes are investigated and discussed.