A Hybrid Class Underwater Vehicle: Bioinspired Propulsion, Embedded System, and Acoustic Communication and Localization System

Abstract

Inspired by the natural locomotion of jellyfish and squid, a series of compact thrusters series is developed for propulsion and maneuvering of underwater vehicles. These thrusters successively ingest and expel jets of water in a controlled manner at high frequencies to generate propulsive forces. The parameters controlling the performance of the thrusters are reviewed and investigated to achieve higher thrust levels. The thrusters are compact and can be placed completely inside a vehicle hull providing the desired maneuvering capability without sacrificing a sleek hydrodynamic shape for efficient cruising. The system design of a prototype hybrid vehicle, called CephaloBot, utilizing these thrusters, is also presented. A compact and custom-developed embedded system is also designed for the CephaloBot. Key features of the system include a base set of navigational sensors, an acoustic system for localization and underwater communication, Xbee RF transceiver for communication above water, and a LabVIEW programmed processing board.