Open-source five degree of freedom motion platform for investigating fish-robot interaction

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Ethology
• Biomimicry

Background:

• Studying fish behavior in response to robotic stimuli requires precise control over underwater actuators.
• Existing systems may lack the necessary degrees of freedom, realism, or power/data transmission capabilities for complex ethorobotic experiments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the design, construction, operation, and validation of a novel robotic gantry platform for fish-robot interaction.
• To create a versatile and customizable platform for ethorobotic research.

Main Methods:

• Developed a five-degrees-of-freedom robotic gantry system capable of manipulating lure position (3D) and orientation (yaw, pitch).
• Integrated a four-conductor slip ring for uninterrupted power and data transmission to the lure's actuators.
• Designed open-source hardware, software, and electronics for low-cost, extensible implementation.

Main Results:

• The platform successfully demonstrated precise control over lure movement and realistic actuation.
• Validation confirmed the system's capability to deliver controlled stimuli to focal fish during experiments.
• The open-source nature facilitates adaptation for diverse research needs.

Conclusions:

• The developed robotic gantry platform is a validated, cost-effective, and extensible tool for advancing fish-robot interaction studies.
• This system offers significant potential for controlled behavioral experiments in ethology and biomimicry.