Development of a Cuttlefish-Inspired Amphibious Robot with Wave-Motion Propulsion and Rigid–Flexible Coupling
Amphibious robots require efficient locomotion strategies to enable smooth transitions between terrestrial and aquatic environments. Drawing inspiration from the undulatory movements of aquatic organisms such as cuttlefish and knifefish, this study introduces a bio-inspired propulsion system that em...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Biomimetics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/6/396 |
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| author | Yichao Gao Felix Pancheri Tim C. Lueth Yilun Sun |
| author_facet | Yichao Gao Felix Pancheri Tim C. Lueth Yilun Sun |
| author_sort | Yichao Gao |
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| description | Amphibious robots require efficient locomotion strategies to enable smooth transitions between terrestrial and aquatic environments. Drawing inspiration from the undulatory movements of aquatic organisms such as cuttlefish and knifefish, this study introduces a bio-inspired propulsion system that emulates natural wave-based locomotion to improve adaptability and propulsion efficiency. A novel mechanism combining crank–rocker and sliding components is proposed to generate wave-like motions in robotic legs and fins, supporting both land crawling and aquatic paddling. By adopting a rigid–flexible coupling design, the system achieves a balance between structural integrity and motion flexibility. The effectiveness of the mechanism is systematically investigated through kinematic modeling, animation-based simulation, and experimental validation. The developed kinematic model captures the principles of wave propagation via the Crank–Slider–Rocker structure, offering insights into motion efficiency and thrust generation. Animation simulations are employed to visually validate the locomotion patterns and assess coordination across the mechanism. A functional prototype is fabricated and tested in both terrestrial and aquatic settings, demonstrating successful amphibious locomotion. The findings confirm the feasibility of the proposed design and underscore its potential in biomimetic robotics and amphibious exploration. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f9688cab4545448e8617fa35abcee204 |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2313-7673 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Biomimetics |
| spelling | doaj-art-f9688cab4545448e8617fa35abcee2042025-06-25T13:32:46ZengMDPI AGBiomimetics2313-76732025-06-0110639610.3390/biomimetics10060396Development of a Cuttlefish-Inspired Amphibious Robot with Wave-Motion Propulsion and Rigid–Flexible CouplingYichao Gao0Felix Pancheri1Tim C. Lueth2Yilun Sun3Institute of Micro Technology and Medical Device Technology, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, GermanyInstitute of Micro Technology and Medical Device Technology, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, GermanyInstitute of Micro Technology and Medical Device Technology, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, GermanyInstitute of Micro Technology and Medical Device Technology, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, GermanyAmphibious robots require efficient locomotion strategies to enable smooth transitions between terrestrial and aquatic environments. Drawing inspiration from the undulatory movements of aquatic organisms such as cuttlefish and knifefish, this study introduces a bio-inspired propulsion system that emulates natural wave-based locomotion to improve adaptability and propulsion efficiency. A novel mechanism combining crank–rocker and sliding components is proposed to generate wave-like motions in robotic legs and fins, supporting both land crawling and aquatic paddling. By adopting a rigid–flexible coupling design, the system achieves a balance between structural integrity and motion flexibility. The effectiveness of the mechanism is systematically investigated through kinematic modeling, animation-based simulation, and experimental validation. The developed kinematic model captures the principles of wave propagation via the Crank–Slider–Rocker structure, offering insights into motion efficiency and thrust generation. Animation simulations are employed to visually validate the locomotion patterns and assess coordination across the mechanism. A functional prototype is fabricated and tested in both terrestrial and aquatic settings, demonstrating successful amphibious locomotion. The findings confirm the feasibility of the proposed design and underscore its potential in biomimetic robotics and amphibious exploration.https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/6/396amphibious robotrigid–flexible couplingwave-motion propulsionbiomimetic locomotioncuttlefish-inspired robotics |
| spellingShingle | Yichao Gao Felix Pancheri Tim C. Lueth Yilun Sun Development of a Cuttlefish-Inspired Amphibious Robot with Wave-Motion Propulsion and Rigid–Flexible Coupling Biomimetics amphibious robot rigid–flexible coupling wave-motion propulsion biomimetic locomotion cuttlefish-inspired robotics |
| title | Development of a Cuttlefish-Inspired Amphibious Robot with Wave-Motion Propulsion and Rigid–Flexible Coupling |
| title_full | Development of a Cuttlefish-Inspired Amphibious Robot with Wave-Motion Propulsion and Rigid–Flexible Coupling |
| title_fullStr | Development of a Cuttlefish-Inspired Amphibious Robot with Wave-Motion Propulsion and Rigid–Flexible Coupling |
| title_full_unstemmed | Development of a Cuttlefish-Inspired Amphibious Robot with Wave-Motion Propulsion and Rigid–Flexible Coupling |
| title_short | Development of a Cuttlefish-Inspired Amphibious Robot with Wave-Motion Propulsion and Rigid–Flexible Coupling |
| title_sort | development of a cuttlefish inspired amphibious robot with wave motion propulsion and rigid flexible coupling |
| topic | amphibious robot rigid–flexible coupling wave-motion propulsion biomimetic locomotion cuttlefish-inspired robotics |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/6/396 |
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