Evolving an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle : A Bio-Inspired Approach

Griffin Staples was a semi-finalist in the 2026 UBC Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition. Niko presented the research titled “Evolving an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle: A Bio-Inspired Approach.” Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are increasingly used for ocean monitoring, infrastructure inspection, and defence, but the vast scale of the ocean demands highly efficient designs. Bio-inspired AUVs attempt to replicate the natural efficiency of swimming organisms, yet current designs often fall short of biological performance. This research aims to develop a highly efficient bio-inspired AUV by creating a simulation framework that optimizes both body shape and swimming motion. Ultimately, this approach aims to produce an efficient AUV capable of long-range ocean monitoring. Griffin Staples is completing a MASc in Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering under the supervision of Dr. Adrien Desjardins. #3MT is an academic competition that assists current graduate students with fostering effective presentation and communication skills. Participants have just three minutes to explain the breadth and significance of their research project to a non-specialist audience. For more information or to participate in UBC’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) visit https://3mt.grad.ubc.ca.