A Chinese team has developed an underwater robot modeled after rock-climbing fish. The robot can adhere to surfaces with a force equivalent to 1,000 times its weight. Remarkably, it can also glide underwater at a speed of 7.83 times its body length per second.
The research, led by Liu Lianqing from the Shenyang Institute of Automation, discovered that the underwater gecko’s unique combination of strong adhesion and swift gliding results from setae structures on its suction cup edges. These setae transform a contact area with water into a sticky substance, resisting detachment forces.
Meanwhile, a water film on this interface acts as a lubricant during movement. By utilizing 3D printing, the team reproduced these setae structures within soft suction cups, leading to the creation of “Climbot”, an underwater adhering-sliding robot. In tests, Climbot securely adhered to a moving ship model, demonstrating smooth underwater gliding.
The Climbot offers potential advancements for marine science, underwater exploration, and ocean engineering. As technology progresses, we may see wider adoption of such sub-aqua biomimetic robots, enhancing underwater operations and research.
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