Propulsive Performance of an Underwater Soft Biomimetic Batoid Robot

This paper presents theoretical and experimental work on the characterization of power consumption, speed, and stall thrust (the forward force produced by the robot while being held stationary) of an underwater robot that mimics the swimming kinematics of the common stingray, Dasyatidae. The robot reaches a peak velocity of 0.35 disk-lengths per second for a flapping frequency of 1.4 Hz and a flapping amplitude angle of 30 degrees. The maximum stall thrust averages 45 N, with peaks as high as 150 N, and is achieved at a flapping frequency of 2 Hz and an amplitude angle of 30 degrees.

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