Bionic robotic fish

Abstract

The bionic robotic fish comprises a robotic fish body, a sensor assembly, a motion control mechanism and a central processing unit, the robotic fish body comprises a fish head part, a fish body part and a fish tail part, the interiors of the fish head part, the fish body part and the fish tail part are communicated to form an inner cavity, and the sensor assembly is installed on the outer side of the fish head part. The fish tail part adopts an organ type shell; the motion control mechanism is arranged in the inner cavity and used for controlling motion of the bionic robotic fish. The sensor assembly comprises at least two infrared sensors which are installed on the fish lips and the jaw of the fish head. The central processing unit is used for detecting obstacles in the environment according to sensing information of the infrared sensor and controlling the motion control mechanism according to obstacle information, so that obstacle avoidance of the bionic robotic fish is achieved, and the bionic robotic fish can be applied to the fields of ocean exploration, resource exploration, environment monitoring, emergency rescue and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of robotic fish, and in particular to a bionic robotic fish. Background Art

[0002] A bionic robot fish is an underwater robot inspired by the appearance and movement of biological fish. It imitates the way fish swim freely in the water. A bionic robot fish usually includes a mechanical structure, a motion control system, and an energy supply system. These systems work together to enable the bionic robot fish to efficiently move forward, manipulate, and adapt to environmental changes in the water. Underwater bionic robot fish have a wide range of applications in the fields of marine surveying, environmental monitoring, and diving rescue.

[0003] There are some problems and limitations in the current bionic robot fish technology. For example, the mechanical structure of some bionic robot fish is too complicated, resulting in high manufacturing costs. In addition, the stability and maneuverability of some existing bionic robot fish when moving underwater are not enough to meet the requirements of complex tasks. The efficiency of the energy supply system also needs to be further improved to extend the operating time of the bionic robot fish. The bionic robot fish in the prior art still has limitations in maneuverability, adaptability and intelligent control. The present invention aims to improve the performance of the bionic robot fish in an underwater environment by improving the servo drive structure and appearance structure, introducing precise obstacle avoidance technology and innovative control methods. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a bionic robotic fish, which can not only realize the swimming of fish-simulated body shape, but also realize precise control and obstacle avoidance in underwater environment, and make the endurance of robotic fish longer through a new driving method, in view of the high cost and complexity of the mechanical driving structure of existing robotic fish and the inability to achieve precise obstacle avoidance.

[0005] The technical solution is as follows:

[0006] A bionic robot fish comprises a robot fish body, a sensor assembly, a motion control mechanism and a central processing unit, wherein the robot fish body comprises a fish head, a fish body and a fish tail, wherein the fish head, fish body and fish tail are internally connected to form an inner cavity, wherein the sensor assembly is mounted on the outer side of the fish head, and the fish tail adopts an accordion-type housing; the motion control mechanism is arranged in the inner cavity to control the motion of the bionic robot fish; the sensor assembly comprises at least two infrared sensors mounted on the lips and chin of the fish head; the central processing unit is used to detect obstacles in the environment according to the sensing information of the infrared sensor, and control the motion control mechanism according to the obstacle information, thereby realizing obstacle avoidance of the bionic robot fish.

[0007] Furthermore, the accordion-type shell includes a grooved shell and multiple accordion-type connectors, and a corrugated structure with a concave-convex texture is formed by the mutual cooperation of the grooved shell and the accordion-type connectors. Both ends of each accordion-type connector are embedded in the grooved shell, and a sealing silicone ring is embedded to ensure seamless docking. All joints are sealed with a waterproof adhesive, and the silicone material is fully integrated through high-frequency hot pressing technology.

[0008] Furthermore, three infrared sensors are arranged on the fish head, each of which is wrapped by three aluminum alloy waterproof shells. The infrared sensor shells are horizontally inserted into the accordion-type shells through sensor connectors, thereby fixing the infrared sensors on the left and right sides of the lips and the chin of the bionic robotic fish, so that the infrared sensors can cover the front and lower areas of the robotic fish.

[0009] Furthermore, the fish tail is also provided with a bionic fish fin made of silicone material.

[0010] Furthermore, the motion control mechanism includes a fishtail swinging component and a center of gravity adjustment component. The fishtail swinging component is used to control the swinging of the fishtail, driving the bionic robotic fish to move in a predetermined direction in the horizontal direction; the center of gravity adjustment component is used to adjust the center of gravity of the bionic robotic fish forward and backward, driving the pitch motion of the bionic robotic fish.

[0011] Furthermore, the fishtail swing assembly includes a servo and a fishtail servo link bridge, the servo and the fishtail servo link bridge are connected via gears or connecting rods, the servo receives a control signal from a central processing unit and generates a rotational motion, driving the gear or connecting rod to rotate, the gear or connecting rod is fixedly connected to the fishtail servo link bridge, thereby driving the fishtail servo link bridge to rotate, and then utilizing inertia to drive the fishtail to swing.

[0012] Furthermore, the center of gravity adjustment component includes a linear motor, a slider and a slide rod, the slide rod is arranged on the symmetry axis of the bionic robotic fish, the slider passes through the slide rod and is connected to the output end of the linear motor, and the linear motor drives the slider to move along the slide rod, thereby changing the center of gravity of the bionic robotic fish.

[0013] Furthermore, a bionic fish bone is provided at the inner end of the fish tail.

[0014] The technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present application may have the following beneficial effects:

[0015] It can be seen from the above embodiments that the present invention imitates the appearance of fish, and makes the bionic robot fish swim more flexibly and naturally through the bionic structure; improves the safety and reliability of underwater robots in complex environments through the precise obstacle avoidance technology of infrared sensors and central processing units; improves the maneuverability of bionic robot fish through the fishtail swing component driven by the servo and the center of gravity adjustment component driven by the linear motor, giving the bionic robot fish more flexible and intelligent movement ability. These advantages make the present invention have a wide range of application prospects in underwater tasks, including but not limited to the fields of ocean exploration, resource exploration, environmental monitoring and emergency rescue.

[0016] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present application.

[0018] Figure 1 The figure is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a bionic robotic fish according to the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of a bionic robotic fish according to the present invention.

[0020] Figure numerals: 1. fish body; 2. fish tail; 3. bionic fish fin; 4. fish head; 5. infrared sensor; 6. servo; 7. accordion-type housing; 8. grooved housing; 9. accordion-type connector; 10. fish tail servo link bridge; 11. bionic fish bone; 12. slider. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Here, exemplary embodiments are described in detail, and examples thereof are shown in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The implementations described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all implementations consistent with the present application.

[0022] The terms used in this application are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit this application. The singular forms of "a", "said" and "the" used in this application and the appended claims are also intended to include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates other meanings. It should also be understood that the term "and / or" used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0023] The present application provides a bionic robotic fish, comprising a robotic fish body, a sensor assembly, a motion control mechanism and a central processing unit, wherein the robotic fish body comprises a fish head 4, a fish body 1 and a fish tail 2, wherein the fish head 4, the fish body 1 and the fish tail 2 are internally connected to form an inner cavity, wherein the sensor assembly is mounted on the outer side of the fish head 4, and the fish tail 2 adopts an accordion-type housing 7; the motion control mechanism is arranged in the inner cavity to control the motion of the bionic robotic fish; the sensor assembly comprises at least two infrared sensors 5, which are mounted on the lips and chin of the fish head 4; the central processing unit is used to detect obstacles in the environment according to the sensing information of the infrared sensor 5, and control the motion control mechanism according to the obstacle information, thereby realizing obstacle avoidance of the bionic robotic fish.

[0024] In a specific implementation, the accordion-type housing 7 includes a grooved housing 8 and a plurality of accordion-type connectors 9. The grooved housing 8 and the accordion-type connectors 9 cooperate with each other to form a corrugated structure with a concave-convex texture, which not only enhances the bionic effect, but also provides the necessary support and elasticity for the flexible swing of the fish tail 2. The accordion-type connector 9 is made of highly elastic silicone material, has good flexibility and durability, and can provide strong mechanical connection strength while maintaining flexible movement. In order to ensure the sealing between the fish tail 2 and the fish body 1, the two ends of each accordion-type connector 9 are embedded in the grooved housing 8, and a sealing silicone ring is embedded to ensure seamless docking. In addition, all joints are sealed with a waterproof adhesive, and the silicone material is fully integrated through high-frequency hot pressing technology, ensuring excellent waterproof performance, and can operate underwater for a long time without being affected by external water pressure.

[0025] In one embodiment, three infrared sensors 5 are arranged on the fish head 4, and are all wrapped by three aluminum alloy waterproof material shells to protect its stability and reliability in complex underwater environments. In addition, the infrared sensor 5 shell is horizontally inserted into the accordion shell 7 through the sensor connector, so that the infrared sensor 5 is fixed on the left and right sides of the fish lip and the chin of the robot fish, so that the infrared sensor 5 can cover the front and lower areas of the robot fish, thereby identifying the environment in which the bionic robot fish is located, and enhancing the robot fish's perception and reaction ability to the environment. Among them: the infrared sensor 5 can detect obstacles within a range of about 10 meters, and transmit data to the central processing unit in real time, and cooperate with the processing of the infrared obstacle avoidance fuzzy algorithm to quickly and accurately judge obstacles in the environment, effectively improving the obstacle avoidance ability of the bionic robot fish.

[0026] In one embodiment, the fish tail 2 is also provided with a bionic fish fin 3 made of silicone material, which is designed by bionics and has a triangular shape similar to that of natural fish, with slightly curved edges to increase thrust in the water. The thickness of each bionic fish fin 3 is 0.5 mm, which can ensure that it has sufficient flexibility and durability, and the fin surface is optimized by fluid mechanics to reduce resistance in the water. The appearance of the crucian carp is imitated to simulate the dynamics of the fins of real fish as much as possible, and it can swing flexibly in the water, which not only improves the swimming efficiency of the bionic robot fish, but also enhances its controllability and stability in complex waters. It fully embodies the principle of bionics, making the movement of the robot fish underwater closer to the natural swimming mode of real fish.

[0027] In the specific implementation, Figure 2 As shown, the motion control mechanism includes a fishtail swinging component and a center of gravity adjustment component. The fishtail swinging component is used to control the swinging of the fishtail 2, driving the bionic robotic fish to move in a predetermined direction in the horizontal direction; the center of gravity adjustment component is used to adjust the center of gravity of the bionic robotic fish front and back, driving the pitching movement of the bionic robotic fish; through the cooperation of the fishtail swinging component and the center of gravity adjustment component, the bionic robotic fish can move in multiple directions, thereby achieving obstacle avoidance.

[0028] Specifically, the fish tail swing assembly includes a steering engine 6 and a fish tail steering engine link bridge 10, wherein the steering engine 6 and the fish tail steering engine link bridge 10 are connected by a gear (or connecting rod), the steering engine 6 receives the control signal of the central processing unit and generates a rotational motion, driving the gear (or connecting rod) to rotate, and the gear (or connecting rod) is fixedly connected to the fish tail steering engine link bridge 10, thereby driving the fish tail steering engine link bridge 10 to rotate, and then utilizing inertia to drive the fish tail 2 to swing, so as to realize the movement of the bionic robot fish in the horizontal direction. The center of gravity adjustment assembly includes a linear motor, a slider 12 and a slide bar, wherein the slide bar is arranged on the symmetry axis of the bionic robot fish, the slider 12 passes through the slide bar and is connected to the output end of the linear motor, and the linear motor drives the slider 12 to move along the slide bar, changing the center of gravity of the fish, so that the posture of the fish in the water changes upward and downward. In a specific implementation, the steering engine 6 and the slide bar can be fixed to avoid the influence of the displacement of the steering engine 6 and the slide bar on the motion control.

[0029] In one embodiment, a bionic fish bone 11 is further provided at the inner end of the fish tail portion 2 to stabilize the swinging of the fish tail.

[0030] Sensors located on the left, right and bottom can sense obstacles. According to the movement law of the fish, by controlling the movement mode of the steering gear 6 and the linear motor, various movement postures of the fish can be achieved. The specific control logic can be as follows:

[0031] Initial state: The balance adjustment block is located in the middle of the screw rod and aligned with the center of gravity of the fish. At this time, the fish is in a horizontal balance state in the water.

[0032] straight:

[0033] Mode 1: tail swing frequency 1 time / second, swing amplitude 60 degrees; Mode 2: frequency 2 times, swing amplitude 30 degrees. When driving straight, the two states are switched every 5 seconds.

[0034] Turning:

[0035] Turn left: The tail swings to the left to the maximum angle (actual measurement) and continues to swing between the left limit and the center line at a frequency of once per second (1 / 3 second left swing and 2 / 3 second right swing) until it avoids the obstacle and returns to the forward state.

[0036] Turn right: Mirror image of turn left.

[0037] If you find an obstacle on one side, turn to the other side.

[0038] Supine: The balance slider 12 moves forward and the fish head moves downward, and vice versa. In the non-turning state, the slider 12 moves randomly at the two ends, the middle, and the left and right 1 / 2 positions, with a moving speed of 1 cm / second, and stays at each point for 2 seconds. When an obstacle is found below, the balance slider 12 moves backward, and the fish head rises to avoid the obstacle.

[0039] Based on the above design, the bionic robot fish can perceive the surrounding environment in real time, such as water flow, obstacles and the dynamics of other underwater creatures. Using this data, combined with intelligent control algorithms, the robot fish can quickly adjust the operation of the servo 6 and the swing mechanism to achieve efficient and accurate obstacle avoidance, which not only improves the adaptability of the robot fish in complex underwater environments, but also greatly improves the safety and efficiency of its execution of various underwater tasks.

[0040] When in use, the bionic robot fish is placed in the target waters, where it can autonomously navigate and perform tasks such as environmental monitoring, data collection, or search and rescue. It highly simulates the movement of real fish, combined with precise obstacle avoidance technology and advanced control methods, making it more efficient, safer and more environmentally adaptable when performing tasks. The design of this bionic robot fish is not only technologically advanced, but also easy to maintain and operate, making it an ideal choice for underwater operations.

[0041] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate other embodiments of the present application after considering the specification and practicing the contents disclosed herein. The present application is intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the present application, which follow the general principles of the present application and include common knowledge or customary technical means in the art that are not disclosed in the present application.

[0042] It should be understood that the present application is not limited to the exact construction that has been described above and shown in the drawings, and that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof.

Claims

1. A bionic robotic fish, characterized in that: The invention comprises a robot fish body, a sensor assembly, a motion control mechanism and a central processing unit. The robot fish body comprises a fish head (4), a fish body (1) and a fish tail (2). The fish head (4), the fish body (1) and the fish tail (2) are connected to form an inner cavity. The sensor assembly is installed on the outer side of the fish head (4). The fish tail (2) adopts an accordion-type shell (7). The motion control mechanism is arranged in the inner cavity and is used to control the motion of the bionic robot fish. The sensor assembly comprises at least two infrared sensors (5) which are installed on the lips and chin of the fish head (4). The central processing unit is used to detect obstacles in the environment according to the sensing information of the infrared sensor (5), and control the motion control mechanism according to the obstacle information, so as to achieve obstacle avoidance of the bionic robot fish.

2. The bionic robotic fish according to claim 1, characterized in that: The accordion-type shell (7) includes a grooved shell (8) and a plurality of accordion-type connectors (9). The grooved shell (8) and the accordion-type connectors (9) cooperate with each other to form a corrugated structure with a concave-convex texture. Both ends of each accordion-type connector (9) are embedded in the grooved shell (8), and a sealing silicone ring is embedded to ensure seamless docking. All joints are sealed with a waterproof adhesive, and the silicone material is fully integrated through high-frequency hot pressing technology.

3. The bionic robotic fish according to claim 1, characterized in that: Three infrared sensors (5) are arranged on the fish head (4), and are all wrapped by three aluminum alloy waterproof shells. The infrared sensor (5) shells are inserted into the accordion shell (7) in a horizontal shape through sensor connectors, so that the infrared sensors (5) are fixed on the left and right sides of the lips and the chin of the bionic robotic fish, so that the infrared sensors (5) can cover the front and lower areas of the robotic fish.

4. The bionic robotic fish according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fish tail (2) is also provided with a bionic fish fin (3) made of silicone material.

5. The bionic robotic fish according to claim 1, characterized in that: The motion control mechanism comprises a fishtail swinging component and a center of gravity adjustment component. The fishtail swinging component is used to control the swinging of the fishtail (2) to drive the bionic robotic fish to move in a predetermined direction in the horizontal direction; the center of gravity adjustment component is used to adjust the center of gravity of the bionic robotic fish forward and backward to drive the bionic robotic fish to move in a pitching motion.

6. The bionic robotic fish according to claim 5, characterized in that: The fishtail swing assembly comprises a steering gear (6) and a fishtail steering gear link bridge (10); the steering gear (6) and the fishtail steering gear link bridge (10) are connected via a gear or a connecting rod; the steering gear (6) receives a control signal from a central processing unit and generates a rotational motion, driving the gear or the connecting rod to rotate; the gear or the connecting rod is fixedly connected to the fishtail steering gear link bridge (10), thereby driving the fishtail steering gear link bridge (10) to rotate, and then utilizing inertia to drive the fishtail portion (2) to swing.

7. The bionic robotic fish according to claim 5, characterized in that: The center of gravity adjustment component comprises a linear motor, a slider (12) and a slide rod, wherein the slide rod is arranged on the symmetry axis of the bionic robotic fish, the slider (12) passes through the slide rod and is connected to the output end of the linear motor, and the linear motor drives the slider (12) to move along the slide rod, thereby changing the center of gravity of the bionic robotic fish.

8. The bionic robotic fish according to claim 7, characterized in that: A bionic fish bone (11) is also provided at the inner tail end of the fish tail (2).

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