Agile Underwater Robotics
Abstract: Exploring confined spaces underwater is an open engineering challenge in robotics. These spaces, such as shipwrecks, reefs, caves, and underwater infrastructure, can be dangerous to human divers. Existing underwater robots come in a variety of shapes and sizes, either being too large or rigid to fit through small gaps and maze-like passages, being too disruptive to their surroundings to send into fragile ecosystems and structures, or lacking the propulsion strength and agility to navigate complex environments and fight currents. We have developed a solution to this challenge in the DRAGON robot over several iterations, each more refined and effective than the last. DRAGON consists of a single rigid thruster at the front, a waterproof electronics housing at the back, and a Yoshimura origami spine capable of actuated bending between them, allowing for agile underwater motion with the efficiency of a single thruster and streamlined shape, and minimal impact on its surroundings during operation.
Advisor: Professor Cagdas Onal
Committee: Professor Connor McCann, Professor Carlo Pinciroli