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Bioinspired multiphasic autonomous vehicles

Through our collaboration with the Bioinspired Adaptive Morphology lab at Princeton University, led by Prof. Aimy Wissa, we are investigating and modeling the unique aerial flight and swimming of the flying fish, with the goal of bringing these two modes together and study the take-off transition at the water surface. This work builds on our previous research using bioinspired fish robotics model organisms (RMOs) for evolutionary and biomechanical research. 

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Development of the flying fish swimming robot

Saro-Cortes et al. 2023, in press. Model Organism: A Study on the Effects of the Caudal Fin Shape. 2023 7th IEEE Conference on Control Technology and Applications

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We developed an autonomous robot capable of hovering

Flammang et al. 2017. Building a fish: the biology and engineering behind an autonomous underwater vehicle. MTS Journal 51(5):15-22. PDF

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We validate RMOs using kinematics and fluids dynamics

Esposito et al. 2012. A robotic fish caudal fin: effects of stiffness and motor program on locomotor performance. The Journal of Experimental Biology 215(1):56-67. PDF Supplemental video

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Bioinspired design in research: Evolution as beta-testing.

Flammang BE. 2022. Integrative and Comparative Biology. doi:10.1093/icb/icac134.

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Pectoral fin motion can be sensed through flow against the body

Kahn et al. 2012. Hover kinematics and distributed pressure sensing for force control of biorobotic fins. Proceedings of the 2012 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS):1460-1466. PDF

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Development of a robot to study fish flight

Saro-Cortes et al. 2022. An Adaptable Flying Fish Robotic Model for Aero- and Hydrodynamic Experimentation. Integrative and Comparative Biology. doi:10.1093/icb/icac101.

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Passively moving structures show differences among shapes and stiffnesses

Lauder et al. 2012. Passive robotic models of propulsion by the bodies and caudal fins of fish. Integrative and Comparative Biology 52(5):576-587. PDF cover

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