The robot, inspired by the octopus, is designed to perform underwater tasks and advance research in marine robotics.
Researchers at the National University of Singapore have created a robot modeled after the octopus, one of the smartest marine creatures. The robot is designed for real-world underwater tasks and to explore the biomechanics of octopus locomotion.
Octopuses stand out among marine creatures for their exceptional agility, capable of swift swimming and interacting with objects around them. The primary goal of the research was to engineer a robotic system that effectively mimics these sophisticated underwater abilities of the octopus.
The practical applications for the octopus-inspired robot are vast, including underwater exploration, environmental monitoring, and search and rescue operations. The creators are currently focusing on using this platform to advance research into octopus-like underwater movement and manipulation, which could open new possibilities in robotics.
The team have created an octopus-inspired robot featuring eight soft arms, powered by a novel umbrella-like mechanism. This mechanism, driven by just two constantly rotating motors, avoids the complexity and expense of using eight separate motors and actuators for each arm.
The researchers’ robot design successfully emulates the swimming patterns typical of octopuses. In early trials, the robot demonstrated efficient propulsion, achieving a maximum speed of 314 mm/s on its second power stroke.
The new robotic model is considerably simpler than previous octopus-inspired designs, yet it delivers similar swimming capabilities. Additionally, the robot is energy-efficient, capable of covering extensive distances underwater with minimal power use.
The innovative robotic platform developed by the team may pave the way for the creation of other streamlined bio-inspired underwater robots. This recent research is part of a larger research initiative centered on octopus-inspired robotics.
The comprehensive project has already identified several key factors behind the remarkable agility and swimming prowess of octopuses. In upcoming research, the team aims to investigate more design techniques to enhance the performance and energy efficiency of octopus-inspired systems.
