Conceptual design, kinematics and dynamics of swimming robotic structures using ionic polymeric gel muscles

Abstract

The structural design, kinematics and swimming dynamics of autonomous swimming robotic structures which utilize an arrangement of electrically controlled ionic polymeric gel muscles are discussed. The general structural design of such swimming robotic structures is considered to be in the form of a submarine structure which is partially encapsulated in an elastic or flexible membrane filled with a counterionic electrolyte such as water+acetone. In such an encapsulated portion of the robotic swimming structure there exist specifically arranged polyacrylamide or PVA-AAA polymeric cylindrical fibres or bundles. The arrangement of, say, polyacrylamide fibres is such that it is capable of generating microprocessor-based electrically controlled propagating transverse waves to propel the partially encapsulated membrane structure in any direction and in any desired manner. A brief description of the governing equations is also presented.