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SurferBot: a wave-propelled aquatic vibrobot.

Eugene Rhee1, Robert Hunt1, Stuart J Thomson1,2

  • 1Brown University, Center for Fluid Mechanics and School of Engineering, 184 Hope St., Providence, RI 02912, United States of America.

Bioinspiration & Biomimetics
|June 14, 2022
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed the SurferBot, a small, vibrating robot inspired by honeybees. This device mimics natural hydrodynamic propulsion to move efficiently on water surfaces.

Keywords:
capillarityfrugal sciencehoneybeepedagogyroboticsself-propulsionwaves

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Area of Science:

  • Fluid mechanics
  • Robotics
  • Biomimetics

Background:

  • Nature utilizes diverse propulsion strategies at air-fluid interfaces.
  • Honeybees (Apis mellifera) exhibit a unique survival mechanism for water surface escape.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present the SurferBot, a novel robotic device for fluid surface propulsion.
  • To investigate hydrodynamic mechanisms analogous to honeybee locomotion.
  • To explore applications in robotics and fluid mechanics pedagogy.

Main Methods:

  • Design and construction of a centimeter-scale vibrating robotic device (SurferBot).
  • Analysis of wave-generated, unbalanced momentum flux for propulsion.
  • Experimental investigation of rectilinear motion and propulsive forces.

Main Results:

  • The SurferBot achieves self-propulsion on fluid surfaces.
  • Rectilinear motion is enabled by hydrodynamic forces.
  • Propulsive force magnitude is comparable to that of a honeybee.

Conclusions:

  • The SurferBot successfully mimics honeybee-inspired hydrodynamic propulsion.
  • The device offers a platform for studying active particles at fluid interfaces.
  • Potential applications exist in robotics and fluid mechanics education.