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Journal article
Development of a Numerical Model of a Bio-Inspired Sea Lion Robot
Biomimetics (Basel, Switzerland), v 10(11), 772
14 Nov 2025
PMID: 41294444
Featured in Collection : Research Supported by Drexel Libraries' OA Programs
Abstract
There is a growing demand for underwater robots to support offshore tasks such as exploration, environmental monitoring, and critical underwater missions. To enhance the performance of these systems, researchers are increasingly turning to biological inspiration to develop robots that understand and adapt the swimming strategies of aquatic animals. Numerical modeling plays a critical role in evaluating and improving the performance of these complex, multi-body robotic systems. However, developing accurate models for multi-body robots that swim freely in three dimensions remains a significant challenge. This study presents the development and validation of a numerical model of a bio-inspired California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) robot. The model was developed to simulate, analyze, and visualize the robot’s body motions in water. The equations of motion were derived in closed form using the Euler–Poincaré formulation, offering advantages for control and stability analysis. Hydrodynamic coefficients essential for estimating fluid forces were computed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and strip theory and further refined using a genetic algorithm to reduce the sim-to-real gap. The model demonstrated strong agreement with experiments, accurately predicting the translation and orientation of the robot. This framework provides a validated foundation for simulation, control, and optimization of bio-inspired multi-body systems.
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Details
- Title
- Development of a Numerical Model of a Bio-Inspired Sea Lion Robot
- Creators
- Shraman Kadapa (Corresponding Author) - Drexel UniversityNicholas Marcouiller - Drexel UniversityAnthony C. Drago - Drexel UniversityJames L. Tangorra - Drexel UniversityHarry G. Kwatny - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- Biomimetics (Basel, Switzerland), v 10(11), 772
- Publisher
- MDPI
- Number of pages
- 24
- Grant note
- Office of Naval Research: -N00014-24-1-2536
This work was supported by the Office of Naval Research (ONR-Dr. Thomas Mckenna, Program Officer, ONR Code 341) under grant -N00014-24-1-2536.
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001624076000001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-105023172223
- Other Identifier
- 991022133532004721
InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Web of Science research areas
- Engineering, Multidisciplinary
- Materials Science, Biomaterials