Project description
Using technology to redefine marine exploration
Conventional marine robotics face limitations in capturing high-resolution ecological data due to their reliance on propeller-based locomotion. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the IGUANABOT project aims to overcome this hurdle. Inspired by marine iguanas, this bio-inspired underwater vehicle pioneers multimodal capabilities, fusing swimming and benthic legged locomotion, promising unparalleled insights into marine ecosystems at the Swedish Maritime Robotics Centre. This first-of-its-kind robot boasts a bendable back for adaptable terrain navigation and clawed feet for superior grip. Objectives include designing, building, and evaluating IGUANABOT, culminating in a case study that involves creating a 3D seafloor map near Gullmarsfjord.
Objective
Robotic systems in marine environments could enable high-resolution measurements of ecological processes at extraordinary scales, pushing the boundaries of current methods. The inherent limitations of conventional propeller-based ROV push for robotic systems with multiple modes of locomotion; swimming and benthic locomotion. In order to develop multimodal underwater robotics technology, marine animals with both swimming and benthic locomotion capabilities serve as benchmarks.
In this project, a bioinspired underwater vehicle called IGUANABOT, inspired by marine iguanas, will be developed with swimming and benthic legged locomotion capabilities. The objectives of the project are to; design and build the iguana-inspired robot, evaluate the robot's performance in the laboratory and the field, and do a case study by creating a 3D map of the seafloor that will aid in marine conservation. These three objectives translate to six work packages: multimodal locomotion system, vision system, integration and control, verification and validation, and a case study. IGUANABOT will be the first underwater robot with unique technological features; bioinspired swimming and legged locomotion in the natural marine environment, a bendable back that adapts to irregular terrain and enhances locomotion performance, and clawed feet that adhere to steep, slippery substrates.
The robot’s development and performance optimisation will be performed at Swedish Maritime Robotics Centre, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden. The case study will take place at the sea close to Gullmarsfjord, a natural reserve in Sweden, stationing at Kristineberg Centre for Marine Research and Innovation, University of Gothenburg.
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European FellowshipsCoordinator
100 44 Stockholm
Sweden