Three-Dimensional Movement in Water of the Dolphin Robot - Control Between Two Positions by Roll and Pitch Combination -

The purpose of this study is to have a biomimetic robot realize the three-dimensional maneuverability of fast-swimming animals such as dolphins. In the preceding paper, a dolphin robot whose length is 1m was developed, and loop-the-loop motion in water performed. In the present report, a reference trajectory from a start position to an end position was first planned using the combined motions of roll and pitch. Next, a simulation method to analyze the three-dimensional dynamics of the dolphin robot was developed, then used to investigate feedback controls for roll, pitch, and yaw. It was found in the simulation that the proposed feedback control scheme was sufficient for tracking the reference trajectory. Finally, swimming experiments were conducted to determine the validity of the simulation method and the control algorithm. The control performance in experiments was found to be satisfactory, although the optimal feedback gain was found to be somewhat different from that in the simulation. This paper is the full translation from the transactions of JSME Series C, Vol.71, No.702, 2005.