Yellow-fin tuna mimicking underwater vehicle
- Jan 11, 2018
- 2 min read
The promise of faster, energy efficient, agile and stealth vehicles for sea locomotion remains very appealing to the global economy. Underwater submersibles based on traditional propeller propulsion systems still have low efficiencies and open issues in balancing onboard energy and maneuverability at low speeds. In comparison, fish can change directions with a turning radius of 10-30% of their body length while maintaining their speeds.
The promise of faster, energy efficient, agile and stealth vehicles for sea locomotion remains very appealing to the global economy. Underwater submersibles based on traditional propeller propulsion systems still have low efficiencies and open issues in balancing onboard energy and maneuverability at low speeds. In comparison, fish can change directions with a turning radius of 10-30% of their body length while maintaining their speeds.
In this research, Abhra Roy Chowdhury and colleagues from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the National University of Singapore looked at different species of fish for an efficient and agile locomotion solution to solve the current energy and maneuverability challenge for submersibles (or other vehicles for oceanic applications). After studying several species of fish and consulting with colleagues from the biology department, the answer came in the form of the swimming style (called the Body Caudal Fin (BCF) mode of swimming) of carangiform fish such as the tropical Yellow-fin tuna.
By mimicking the propulsion mechanism of carangiform fish, the underwater vehicle was found to be the 14.68% more efficient compared to a traditional undulatory propulsion. This is a state-of-the-art efficiency improvement. Being eco-friendly it terms of material use, energy efficiency, noise, and stealth, the device can easily find a place in a wide variety of ocean transport applications.
Part of this project was also submitted as part of Biomimicry Student Design Challenge 2014 by Abhra Roy Chowdhury and Anuj Jain.
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I found it fascinating that the article explained how the movement and efficiency of the yellowfin tuna can inspire the design of underwater vehicles, because it shows that nature often solves engineering problems in ways people are still learning from. The connection between biological observation and practical technology made the topic feel much more approachable than I expected, especially when considering how small design details can influence overall performance. It also reminded me that innovative ideas often emerge when different fields overlap, whether that's biology and engineering or even discussions around a Law Dissertation Topic where scientific progress can raise new legal and ethical questions. I’m curious whether there are other marine animals whose movement has inspired equally successful underwater…
This post about biomimicry is fascinating because it shows how nature can inspire smarter engineering solutions. I enjoy learning how scientists apply ideas from the natural world to solve real problems. I recently compared motorcycle insurance Texas near me options while planning my expenses, and it reminded me that careful research is valuable in every situation. Innovation often begins with close observation.
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The idea of designing an underwater vehicle based on the movement and efficiency of yellowfin tuna was genuinely interesting because nature often solves engineering problems in ways humans spend years trying to recreate. I liked the point about reducing drag and improving maneuverability by studying how the fish moves through water so effortlessly, since it shows how observation can sometimes lead to smarter technology rather than just more complicated technology. It also made me think about how interdisciplinary projects like this probably require people from very different backgrounds to collaborate closely, which can be both exciting and overwhelming at the same time. These days people seem to look for support in every area where pressure builds up, whether research partnerships,…
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