Watch A Multi-talented Underwater Robot That Uses Fins To Swim, Walk And Crawl

A groundbreaking innovation emerges in HERO-BLUE – an underwater robot designed to navigate through water with fin propulsion and traverse along the seabed when necessary. We have seen in the past that ROV with electric thrusters have been instrumental in exploring submerged environments, these include, underwater structures to investigating sunken vessels. However, one issue has been that these thrusters entangle and often succumb to the strong currents.  

This is where HERO-BLUE comes in, short for “Hazardous and Extreme environment RObot for Biomimetic multiLocomotion-based Underwater Expedition.” It is being developed by Taesik Kim and collaborators at South Korea’s Pohang University of Science and Technology, and this experimental robot showcases biomimetic locomotion that is reminiscent of nature’s aquatic dwellers. 

HERO-BLUE has a sophisticated look with two lateral fins placed thoughtfully along its body and four multimodal fins. These fins allow for quick swimming through the water. They are made of polymer panels joined by elastomer tendons. The lateral fins offer further mobility, while the multimodal fins regularly flap to mimic fish pectoral fins’ movements. 

When swimming is impossible in harsh water conditions, HERO-BLUE shows how adaptable it is by switching to a bottom-walking or crawling mode. Because of its built-in buoyancy controls, the robot can descend to the bottom with regulated ease and use its rigid-flexible fins to navigate various underwater environments. 

HERO-BLUE’s salamander-inspired spine enables dynamic twisting movements, facilitating forward progression against opposing currents. This innovative locomotion mechanism enhances the robot’s agility and adaptability, enabling it to overcome obstacles encountered in challenging underwater conditions. 

The underwater robot, which is already 80 cm long, 60 cm broad, and 30 cm tall and weighs 11.3 kg, exhibits amazing possibilities. With stereoscopic vision cameras installed, the robot might eventually be able to operate independently, which would increase the capabilities of underwater research. HERO-BLUE has the potential to transform underwater exploration and advance our understanding of marine ecosystems as research continues. 

Source: IEEE Transactions on Robotics