Seahorse Inspired Robot
Michael Gilroy, Katrina Arbogast, Pravesh Rana, Ismail Hussein, and Diego Guzman
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Colorado – Boulder
Boulder, Colorado, United States
Seahorses have long attracted much scientific interest due to their many distinct features, including their equine-like appearance, vertical swimming position, camouflage abilities, and prehensile tail. In this work we build off several studies into the skeletal structure of the seahorse tail, which is unique in its ability to bend and undergo compression while its outer “armor” of overlapping bony plates provides protection against crushing by predators. Our objective was to enhance a kirigami-based hexapod robot by incorporating a modified central skeletal structure that mimics the bone structure of the seahorse tail, with the goal of increasing the robot’s flexibility, compressibility, and maneuverability. Using modern additive manufacturing capabilities, we developed a novel body structure for our robot now referred to as the Seahorse Kinetic Interlocking Plate System (SKIPS), which emulates the structure, flexibility, and compressibility of the seahorse tail. Future iterations of SKIPS could have applications in robots for search and rescue and undersea exploration, as well as in designing disaster-resistant structures.
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