A Modular Aquatic Robot Inspired by Anguilliform Locomotion

This article presents an aquatic snake robot capable of swimming on the water surface. It has a modular architecture, with identical and independent modules to enhance its maintainability and adaptability to different aquatic environments or tasks. Its design and control algorithm allow swimming at high speed and enable the control of the swimming direction. Moreover, the robot has sensors for obstacle detection and avoidance, crucial for autonomous navigation. The experimental tests demonstrated the robot's functionality and showed its ability to swim at high speed with extraordinary agility, making this robot a promising solution for applications in complex and unstructured environments. This aquatic snake robot represents a significant novelty in underwater robotics because it is a flexible solution useful for different applications such as environmental monitoring or search and rescue missions.