Review of fish swimming modes for aquatic locomotion
Sfakiotakis, M.; Lane, D.M.; Davies, J.B.C.
Oceanic Engineering, IEEE Journal of
Volume 24, Issue 2, Apr 1999 Page(s):237 - 252
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/48.757275
Summary:Several physico-mechanical designs evolved in fish are currently
inspiring robotic devices for propulsion and maneuvering purposes in
underwater vehicles. Considering the potential benefits involved, this
paper presents an overview of the swimming mechanisms employed by fish.
The motivation is to provide a relevant and useful introduction to the
existing literature for engineers with an interest in the emerging area
of aquatic biomechanisms. The fish swimming types are presented,
following the well-established classification scheme and nomenclature
originally proposed by Breder. Fish swim either by body and/or caudal
fin (BCF) movements or using median and/or paired fin (MPF) propulsion.
The latter is generally employed at slow speeds, offering greater
maneuverability and better propulsive efficiency, while BCF movements
can achieve greater thrust and accelerations. For both BCF and MPF
locomotion, specific swimming modes are identified, based on the
propulsor and the type of movements (oscillatory or undulatory) employed
for thrust generation. Along with general descriptions and kinematic
data, the analytical approaches developed to study each swimming mode
are also introduced. Particular reference is made to lunate tail
propulsion, undulating fins, and labriform (oscillatory pectoral fin)
swimming mechanisms, identified as having the greatest potential for
exploitation in artificial systems
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