• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.97-105
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• 2008

The kinematic variables for swimming and fin-swimming start motions were analyzed and compared using 3-dimensional cinematography. For the swimming start, the arm segment moved towards the upper rear and trunk towards the upper front followed by a descent towards the lower front, while the fin-swimming start motion showed movement towards the lower front for all segments. The total body center of gravity for the swimming start showed horizontal movement far to the front followed by a rapid descent while the fin-swimming start showed close movement towards the lower front in a short period of time. Upon entering the water, the center of gravity for swimming showed high vertical velocities while fin swimming had high horizontal velocities. For both swimming and fin swimming, the upper extremity velocity had more influence on the total center of gravity velocity than the lower extremities. Flexion of the hip joint was observed before the jump for the fin swimming start while the swimming start showed two flexions in mid-air succeeding the jump. The flexion and extension movements at the knee joint during the fin-swimming start motion were shown to be larger and more rapid than those of fin-swimming.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.197-208
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• 2010

The ostraciiform swimming mode allows the simplest mechanical design and control for underwater vehicle swimming. Propulsion is achieved via the flapping of caudal fin without the body undulatory motion. In this research, the propulsion of underwater vehicles by ostraciiform swimming mode is explored experimentally using an ostraciiform fish robot and some rigid caudal fins. The effects of caudal fin flapping frequency and amplitude on the cruising performance are studied in particular. A theoretical model of propulsion using rigid caudal fin is proposed and identified with the experimental data. An experimental method to obtain the drag coefficient and the added mass of the fish robot is also proposed.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.1580-1586
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• 2003

This paper presents the design and the analysis of a "fish-like underwater robot". In order to develop swimming robot like a real fish, extensive hydrodynamic analysis were made followed by the study of biology of the fishes especially its maneuverability and propel styles. Swimming mode is achieved by mimicking fish-swimming of carangiform. This is the swimming mode of the fast motion using its tail and peduncle for propulsion. In order to generate configurations of vortices that gives efficient propulsion yawing and surging with a caudal fin has applied and in order to submerge and maintain the body balance pitching and heaving motion with a pair of pectoral fin is used. We have derived the equation of motion of PoTuna by two methods. In first method, we use the equation of motion of underwater vehicle with the potential flow theory for the power of propulsion. In second method, we apply the method of the equation of motion of UVM(Underwater Vehicle-Manipulator). Then, we compare these results.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.429-434
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• 2007

This paper presents an experimental and parametric study of a biomimetic fish robot actuated by the Lightweight Piezo-composite Actuator(LIPCA). The biomimetic aspects in this work are the oscillating tail beat motion and shape of caudal fin. Caudal fins that resemble fins of BCF(Body and Caudal fin) mode fish were made in order to perform parametric study concerning the effect of caudal fin characteristics on thrust production at an operating frequency range. The observed caudal fin characteristics are the shape, area, and aspect ratio. It was found that a high aspect ratio caudal fin contributes to high swimming speed. The fish robot was propelled by artificial caudal fins shaped after thunniform-fish and mackerel caudal fins, which have relatively high aspect ratio, produced swimming speed as high as 2.364 cm/s and 2.519 cm/s, respectively, for 300 Vpp input voltage excited at 0.9 Hz. Thrust performance of the biomimetic fish robot was examined by Strouhal number, Froude number, Reynolds number, and Net forward force.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.31 no.1 s.256
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• pp.36-42
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• 2007

This paper presents mechanical design, fabrication and test of a biomimetic fish robot actuated by a unimorph piezoceramic actuator, LIPCA(Lightweight Piezo-Composite curved Actuator.) We have designed a linkage mechanism that can convert bending motion of the LIPCA into the caudal fin movement. This linkage system consists of a rack-pinion system and four-bar linkage. Four types of artificial caudal fins that resemble caudal fin shapes of ostraciiform subcarangiform, carangiform, and thunniform fish, respectively, are attached to the posterior part of the robotic fish. The swimming test under 300 $V_{pp}$ input with 0.6 Hz to 1.2 Hz frequency was conducted to investigate effect of tail beat frequency and shape of caudal fin on the swimming speed of the robotic fish. At the frequency of 0.9 Hz, the maximum swimming speeds of 1.632 cm/s, 1.776 cm/s, 1.612 cm/s and 1.51 cm/s were reached for fish robots with ostraciiform, subcarangiform carangiform and thunniform caudal fins, respectively. The Strouhal number, which means the ratio between unsteady force and inertia force, or a measure of thrust efficiency, was calculated in order to examine thrust performance of the present biomimetic fish robot. The calculated Strouhal numbers show that the present robotic fish does not fall into the performance range of a fast swimming robot.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.1300-1305
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• 2009

The various electromagnetic based actuation(EMA) methods have been proposed for actuating microrobot. The advantage of EMA is that it can provide wireless driving to microrobot. In this reason a lot of researchers have been focusing on the EMA driven microrobot. This paper proposed a swimming microrobot driven by external alternating magnet field which is generated by two pairs of Helmholtz coils. The microrobot has a fish-like shape and consists of a buoyant robot body, a permanent magnet, and a fin. The fin is directly linked to the permanent magnet and the magnet is swung by the alternating magnet field, which makes the propulsion and steering power of the robot. In this paper, firstly, we designed the locomotive mechanism of the microrobot boy EMA. Secondly, we set up the control system. Finally, we demonstrated the swimming robot and evaluated the performance of the microrobot by the experiments.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.225-231
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• 2014

Fish generates thrust with a compliant fin which is known to increase the efficiency. In this paper, the performance of a robotic dolphin, the velocity and the stability, was improved using an optimal compliant caudal fin under certain oscillating frequency. Optimal compliance of the caudal fin exists that maximizes the thrust at a certain oscillating frequency. Four different compliant fins were used to find the optimal compliance of the caudal fin at a certain frequency using the half-pi phase delay condition. The swimming results show that the optimal compliant fin increases the velocity of the robotic fish. The compliance of the caudal fin was also shown to improve the stability of the robotic fish. A reactive motion at the head of the robotic dolphin causes fluctuation of the caudal fin. This phenomenon increases with the oscillating frequency. However, compliant fin reduced this fluctuation and increased the stability.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.796-807
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• 2009

The swimming abilities of aquatic-animals are of vital importance to their ecology. The relationship between outer shapes and the swimming ability has been focused just a few centuries ago by engineering community. Present paper surveys the recent studies of the aquatic-animals' swimming performance in the morphological point of view. Also an experimental study is performed in order to investigate the effect of the tail fin's shape on the propulsive performance. The result showed that the morphological study provided valuable data for exploring the secrets of the aquatic-animals' swimming performance.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.103-110
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• 2020

Bio-inspired underwater robots have been studied to improve the dynamic performance of fins, such as swimming speed and efficiency, which is the most basic performance. Among them, bio-inspired soft robots with a compliant tail fin can have high degrees of freedom. On the other hand, to improve the driving efficiency of the compliant fins, the stiffness of the tail fin should be changed with the driving frequency. Therefore, a new type of variable stiffness mechanism has been developed and verified. This study, which was inspired by the anatomy of a real dolphin, assessed a process of designing and manufacturing a robotic dolphin with a variable stiffness mechanism. By mimicking the vertebrae of a dolphin, the variable stiffness driving part was manufactured using subtractive and additive manufacturing. A driving tendon was placed considering the location of the tendon in the actual dolphin, and the additional tendon was installed to change its stiffness. A robotic dolphin was designed and manufactured in a streamlined shape, and the swimming speed was measured by varying the stiffness. When the stiffness of the tail fin was varied at the same driving frequency, the swimming speed and thrust changed by approximately 1.24 and 1.5 times, respectively.

• Journal of Sport and Applied Science
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.7-12
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare and analyze power and agility, which are factors that affect performance, by dividing adult fin swimmers into groups by male and female careers, and use them as basic data for improving performance during fin swimmer guidance and training. Research design, data, and methodology: Accordingly, 21 fin swimmers were selected and they were divided to four groups by gender and career to conduct experiments. Power and agility, which are factors related to performance of fin swimmers, were measured. Independent sample T-Test was conducted to verify differences between groups. Results: As a result of this study, there was no statistically significant difference in power and agility by the careers of male and female athletes. Conclusion: The results of this study can be used as basic data for organizing training programs suitable for the gen-der of fin swimmers and basic data for the guidance and training of fin swimmers. In future follow-up studies, based on the results of this study, it is expected that follow-up studies should be con-ducted to improve detailed performance according to age, fin swimming events, and gender. Further implications were discussed.