Application Cases

Experiment Name: Construction of an Experimental Platform for Underwater Flapping Soft Robots

Experiment Purpose:

Good movement performance is a basic functional requirement for underwater soft robots. Experiments are an important means to verify whether the design is rational and whether the experimental prototype meets the functional requirements. To verify the feasibility of the design, a series of experiments were conducted on the underwater flapping soft robot to ensure its movement performance. First, an experimental device for the underwater flapping soft robot was built, and a series of movement capability experiments were carried out. Second, to verify the feasibility of the simulation analysis presented earlier, experimental data were used to validate the accuracy of the simulation results. Finally, to assess the movement capability of the underwater flapping soft robot, an efficiency model was established, and the robot's movement efficiency was analyzed.

Testing Equipment: High-voltage amplifier, signal generator, sensors, computer, etc.

Experiment Process:

Figure 1: Schematic Diagram of the Experimental Platform

Four experimental platforms were constructed as shown in the figure above: for measuring the formation angle of the soft joint, testing the drag of the shell, measuring the thrust of the flapping motion, and measuring the speed of the flapping motion.

A motor drives a roller to rotate, with a thin line on the roller connected to the fixed end of a force sensor, and the measuring end of the force sensor is connected to the shell of the underwater flapping soft robot, driving the shell to move at a constant speed to determine the shell's drag.

A signal generator produces an excitation signal, which is amplified by a high-voltage amplifier to drive the soft joint of the underwater flapping soft robot, causing the flapping structure to perform two-degree-of-freedom flapping motion and measuring the thrust during the flapping motion.

The underwater flapping soft robot is driven by an electrical signal generated by the signal generator, and the robot's movement process is recorded by a camera. The robot's speed is calculated by counting frames in the video playback.

Experimental Results:

Figure 2: Comparison of Simulation and Experimental Results

The formation angles of the soft joints were measured for q=7mm and p=4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and compared with the simulation results, as shown in Figure 2(a). It can be seen from the figure that when the q value remains constant, the deformation angle decreases as the p value increases, which is consistent with the simulation results and validates the authenticity of the simulation results.

Under the set simulation conditions, the thrust generated by the flapping motion was measured. In the hydrodynamic simulation, the output is the thrust produced by the flapping airfoil section in a two-dimensional flow field, while the experimental result is the thrust of the flapping motion in a three-dimensional environment. The comparison is shown in the figure. It can be seen that the variation trend of the simulation results is the same as that of the experimental results, which validates the correctness of the hydrodynamic simulation results for the flapping motion.

Voltage Amplifier Recommendation: ATA-7050

Figure: Specification Parameters of the ATA-7050 High-Voltage Amplifier

This material is organized and released by Aigtek. For more case studies and product details, please continue to follow us. Xi'an Aigtek has become a widely recognized supplier of instruments and equipment in the industry with a broad range of products and considerable scale. Free trials of demo units are supported.