Difference between revisions of "ZOIDBERG - An autonomous bio-inspired Robotic fish"

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'''DO NOT EDIT THIS PAGE!'''
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{{Project
 
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|title=ZOIDBERG - An autonomous bio-inspired Robotic fish
This is a generic template for a project page. Project pages describe the projects going on at the AIRLab and are listed in the [[Projects]] page. Feel free to copy (but ''not'' to cut or modify) the contents of its 'edit' tab and re-use them as a basis for your own project's page. The instructions to do that are given at [[Projects#HOWTO add a new project to the AIRWiki]].
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|image=ZoidbergLogo.png
 
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|short_descr=ZOIDBERG is a project about an autonomous bio-inspired robot.
Of course this is only intended as a hint: ''your'' page must contain also all the details about your work. In particulat you need to write down in detail if your work can cause any risk to you or to others.
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The project's aim is to realize a robotic fish actuated by a particular electroactive polymer of ICPF type (Ionic Conducting Polymer Film).
 
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|coordinator=GiuseppinaGini
Finally, keep in mind that '''YOU have the responsibility to guarantee that your work complies to the [http://airlab.elet.polimi.it/index.php/airlab/content/download/461/4110/file/documento_valutazione_rischi_AIRLab.pdf Safety norms] and the [http://airlab.elet.polimi.it/index.php/airlab/content/download/613/5300/file/Regolamento_AIRLab.pdf Rules] of the AIRLab. Despite the joking tone of what follows, these are matters that you must consider very seriously'''.
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|tutor=PaoloBelluco;
 
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|students=FrancescoMilli;MaurizioMercurio;AlessandroNava
If you have any doubt about the safety of a tool, a procedure or anything else in the AIRLab, stop ''now'' and talk with the Teacher who is in charge of your project.
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|resarea=Robotics
 
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|restopic=Bio Robotics
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|start=2007/03/18
 +
|end=2008/10/14
 +
|status=Closed
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|level=Ms
 +
|type=Thesis
 +
}}
 
== '''Part 1: project profile''' ==
 
== '''Part 1: project profile''' ==
  
 
=== Project name ===
 
=== Project name ===
''the 'official' name, if there is one, or a one-line description''
 
  
Construction of an evil, humankind-hating robot.
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ZOIDBERG - An autonomous bio-inspired robotic fish
  
 
=== Project short description ===
 
=== Project short description ===
''here you must write down, in at least a few lines of text, what the project is about''
+
ZOIDBERG is a project about an autonomous bio-inspired robot.
 
+
The project's aim is to realize a robotic fish actuated by a particular electroactive polymer of ICPF type (Ionic Conducting Polymer Film).
This project is aimed at designing and constructing a big, powerful and indestructible autonomous robot. It will be able to fight, defeat and ultimately wipe out humanity. After that, the robot will proceed to populate the Earth with a new breed of mechanical beings. Actually, the development of the self-replicating system will be performed by a future project, to be set up after (?) the success of this one.
+
 
+
=== Dates ===
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Start date: 2008/01/01
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End date: 2010/12/31
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=== Website(s) ===
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''address of the official web page(s) of the project, if any; do not put other links here, as they belong to [[#Part 2: project description]]''
+
 
+
http://www.construction_of_an_evil_humankind-hating_robot.org
+
  
 
=== People involved ===
 
=== People involved ===
''put here the links to the AIRWiki pages associated to all the people working on the project''
 
 
''[by the way, please note that one of such pages is automatically created for every AIRLab user (yes, for you too) and that you MUST have filled it in - complete with a photo - before entering the lab for the first time]''
 
  
===== Project head(s) =====
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===== Project head =====
''the people who guide the project, and therefore your own work too''
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P. Azzoide - [[User:PampurioAzzoide]]
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Prof.ssa Giuseppina Gini - [[User:GiuseppinaGini]]
  
 
===== Other Politecnico di Milano people =====
 
===== Other Politecnico di Milano people =====
''if any, other people participating to the project: e.g. Ph.D students''
 
  
T. Paccio - [[User:TaddeoPaccio]]
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Ing. Paolo Belluco - [[User:PaoloBelluco]]
  
 
===== Students currently working on the project =====
 
===== Students currently working on the project =====
  
Giuseppe Onzo - [[User:GiuseppeOnzo]]
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Francesco Milli - [[User:FrancescoMilli]]
  
===== Students who worked on the project in the past =====
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Maurizio Mercurio - [[User:MaurizioMercurio]]
  
Vittoria Ittima - [[User:VittoriaIttima]]
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Alessandro Nava - [[User:AlessandroNava]]
 
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===== External personnel: =====
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''other people, specifying their role in the project and an e-mail address''
+
 
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dott. B. Adguy (chief R&D scientist, BadCorp Ltd) - bill (dot) adguy (at) badcorp (dot) com
+
  
 
=== Laboratory work and risk analysis ===
 
=== Laboratory work and risk analysis ===
''describe here what you actually do or will do in the AIRLab for your project; it is especially important to specify any activity that can lead to potential risks for you or other people and how you will ensure that no one is harmed. A list of potentially dangerous (if not correctly performed) activities is included into the [http://airlab.elet.polimi.it/index.php/airlab/content/download/461/4110/file/documento_valutazione_rischi_AIRLab.pdf Safety norms] of the AIRLab, which you MUST know to work at the AIRLab.''
 
  
 
Laboratory work for this project will be mainly performed at AIRLab/Lambrate. It will include significant amounts of mechanical work as well as of electrical and electronic activity. Potentially risky activities are the following:
 
Laboratory work for this project will be mainly performed at AIRLab/Lambrate. It will include significant amounts of mechanical work as well as of electrical and electronic activity. Potentially risky activities are the following:
Line 66: Line 49:
 
* Use of soldering iron. Standard safety measures described in [http://airlab.elet.polimi.it/index.php/airlab/content/download/461/4110/file/documento_valutazione_rischi_AIRLab.pdf Safety norms] will be followed.
 
* Use of soldering iron. Standard safety measures described in [http://airlab.elet.polimi.it/index.php/airlab/content/download/461/4110/file/documento_valutazione_rischi_AIRLab.pdf Safety norms] will be followed.
 
* Use of high-voltage circuits. Special gloves and a current limiter will be used.
 
* Use of high-voltage circuits. Special gloves and a current limiter will be used.
* Transportation of heavy loads (e.g. robot parts).  Standard safety measures described in [http://airlab.elet.polimi.it/index.php/airlab/content/download/461/4110/file/documento_valutazione_rischi_AIRLab.pdf Safety norms] will be followed.
 
 
* Robot testing.  Standard safety measures described in [http://airlab.elet.polimi.it/index.php/airlab/content/download/461/4110/file/documento_valutazione_rischi_AIRLab.pdf Safety norms] will be followed.
 
* Robot testing.  Standard safety measures described in [http://airlab.elet.polimi.it/index.php/airlab/content/download/461/4110/file/documento_valutazione_rischi_AIRLab.pdf Safety norms] will be followed.
* Death ray testing: on the robot will be mounted professor Azzoide's death ray projector. When testing it on live animals (e.g. pigeons, pigs, camels) we will make sure that people stay away from the test area.
 
  
 
== '''Part 2: project description''' ==
 
== '''Part 2: project description''' ==
''Put here all the scientific and technical information about the project. Feel free to insert titles and sections as needed. Remember that [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Contents here] you can find help about wiki syntax.''
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The project is composed by:
  
Just to give you some ideas:
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* State of the art;
* state of the art;
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* Preliminary studies and sketches;
* preliminary studies and sketches;
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* Design notes and guidelines;
* design notes and guidelines;
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* Description and results of experiments;
* link to project documents and files (you can upload them using the [[Special:Upload]] page);
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* Useful internet links: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_Zoidberg Dr. Zoidberg]
* description and results of experiments;
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* photos and videos (they must have been uploaded with [[Special:Upload]] before you can insert them into this page);
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* link to source code of the software written for the project (you can upload it with [[Special:Upload]]);
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* advice about the configuration and the use of hardware and software;
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* useful internet links;
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* anything else that you think is useful to describe the project or could help people who will work on it in the future. Think about what ''you'' would have liked to find clearly explained when you started your work, instead of discovering it all by yourself the hard way. (By the way, if some of those missing information belong to other pages of this wiki, please update those pages: future users will be grateful.)
+
  
  
 +
=== State of the art ===
 +
The work that mostly influenced the design of our robot is a lower-scale automaton realized by Shuxiang Guo, Yuya Okuda and Kinji Asaka, which is actuated with the same type of polymer that we used.
  
 +
It is discussed in:
 +
[[media:FishrobotICPF.pdf | ICPF Actuator-based Novel Type of Underwater Micro Biped Robot with Multi DOF]]
  
 +
=== Preliminary part design ===
  
= Our Nafion EAP experiments on YouTube =
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==== Mechanical structure ====
 +
The design of the body has evolved into the current shape through many development steps, in response to the varying specifications of the on-board electronics, to changes in the manufacturing process of the hull, and for a better approach to the hydrostatic balance problem.
  
{{#ev:youtube|kDF3zGa5b-c}}
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The first two images below represents the early proposed mostly flat design, and a step of the manufacturing of a "master" hull component in a modeling clay. The third image shows a simple prototype made of polyurethane foam, tethered to the tank for power supply. It can be noted the original configuration of the tail components, which were mounted in a horizontal fin arrangement with two parallel actuators.
 +
 
 +
<gallery>
 +
Image:Test_forma_1.png|First test body shape
 +
Image:Test_PLUS.jpg|Developed test body
 +
Image:Test_propulsion.png|Propulsion test
 +
</gallery>
 +
 
 +
==== Electronics ====
 +
 
 +
The first version of the on-board electronics was a two-boards arrangement. Due to problems and delays with the company responsible of the manufacturing of said boards, there are no working exemplars of this solution. In the meantime the circuit has been redesigned and simplified to fit a single board, and we put together a very simple intermittent circuit to carry the first autonomous tests (without the robot being tethered to the tank).
 +
 
 +
Below are shown, in order: the original schematics of the two boards, the schematic of the oscillator used for the first tests, based on a 555 chip, and the intermittent circuit assembled on a prototype board.
 +
 
 +
<gallery>
 +
Image:Schema_1.png|First board schematic
 +
Image:Schema_2.png|Second board schematic
 +
Image:BasicOscillator.svg|Test circuit (simplified) schematic
 +
Image:Test_circuit.jpg|Test circuit
 +
</gallery>
 +
 
 +
==== Videos of the actuator tests ====
  
 +
Here are some clips, filmed during the first experiments trying to have a working actuator. The polymer and the electrodes are held in place by rough adhesive, and the power is supplied by an external generator. we are manually changing the polarity of the current going through the actuator.
 +
 +
{{#ev:youtube|kDF3zGa5b-c}}
 
*[http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=kDF3zGa5b-c External link]
 
*[http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=kDF3zGa5b-c External link]
  
=People Involved=
+
{{#ev:youtube|xNAmuwDQzKU}}
 +
*[http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=xNAmuwDQzKU External link]
 +
 
 +
=== Final design ===
 +
(todo)
 +
<gallery>
 +
Image:FishBoard.svg|Final review board schematic
 +
Image:Zoidberg_interno.jpg|The hull open, exposing the wiring
 +
Image:Zoidberg_incapsulamento.jpg|Internal arrangement of the structure
 +
</gallery>
 +
<gallery>
 +
Image:PesceUpWeb.png|Complete robot, top view
 +
Image:PesceSideWeb.png|Complete robot, side view
 +
</gallery>
  
[http://airlab.elet.polimi.it/index.php/airlab/users/people/giuseppina_gini Prof. Giuseppina Gini]
+
=== Tests and results ===
 +
(todo)
  
[[User:MaurizioMercurio|Maurizio Mercurio]] (Tesista)
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==== Videos of the robot in action ====
  
[[User:FrancescoMilli|Francesco Milli]] (Tesista)
+
{{#ev:youtube|_L9oLe1OXiU}}
 +
*[http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=_L9oLe1OXiU External link]
  
[[User:AlessandroNava|Alessandro Nava]] (Tesista)
+
{{#ev:youtube|ptSdlPzTORw}}
 +
*[http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=ptSdlPzTORw External link]

Latest revision as of 12:27, 3 October 2011

ZOIDBERG - An autonomous bio-inspired Robotic fish
Image of the project ZOIDBERG - An autonomous bio-inspired Robotic fish
Short Description: ZOIDBERG is a project about an autonomous bio-inspired robot.

The project's aim is to realize a robotic fish actuated by a particular electroactive polymer of ICPF type (Ionic Conducting Polymer Film).

Coordinator: GiuseppinaGini (gini@elet.polimi.it)
Tutor: PaoloBelluco (belluco@elet.polimi.it)
Collaborator:
Students: FrancescoMilli (), MaurizioMercurio (), AlessandroNava ()
Research Area: Robotics
Research Topic: Bio Robotics
Start: 2007/03/18
End: 2008/10/14
Status: Closed
Level: Ms
Type: Thesis

Part 1: project profile

Project name

ZOIDBERG - An autonomous bio-inspired robotic fish

Project short description

ZOIDBERG is a project about an autonomous bio-inspired robot. The project's aim is to realize a robotic fish actuated by a particular electroactive polymer of ICPF type (Ionic Conducting Polymer Film).

People involved

Project head

Prof.ssa Giuseppina Gini - User:GiuseppinaGini

Other Politecnico di Milano people

Ing. Paolo Belluco - User:PaoloBelluco

Students currently working on the project

Francesco Milli - User:FrancescoMilli

Maurizio Mercurio - User:MaurizioMercurio

Alessandro Nava - User:AlessandroNava

Laboratory work and risk analysis

Laboratory work for this project will be mainly performed at AIRLab/Lambrate. It will include significant amounts of mechanical work as well as of electrical and electronic activity. Potentially risky activities are the following:

  • Use of mechanical tools. Standard safety measures described in Safety norms will be followed.
  • Use of soldering iron. Standard safety measures described in Safety norms will be followed.
  • Use of high-voltage circuits. Special gloves and a current limiter will be used.
  • Robot testing. Standard safety measures described in Safety norms will be followed.

Part 2: project description

The project is composed by:

  • State of the art;
  • Preliminary studies and sketches;
  • Design notes and guidelines;
  • Description and results of experiments;
  • Useful internet links: Dr. Zoidberg


State of the art

The work that mostly influenced the design of our robot is a lower-scale automaton realized by Shuxiang Guo, Yuya Okuda and Kinji Asaka, which is actuated with the same type of polymer that we used.

It is discussed in: ICPF Actuator-based Novel Type of Underwater Micro Biped Robot with Multi DOF

Preliminary part design

Mechanical structure

The design of the body has evolved into the current shape through many development steps, in response to the varying specifications of the on-board electronics, to changes in the manufacturing process of the hull, and for a better approach to the hydrostatic balance problem.

The first two images below represents the early proposed mostly flat design, and a step of the manufacturing of a "master" hull component in a modeling clay. The third image shows a simple prototype made of polyurethane foam, tethered to the tank for power supply. It can be noted the original configuration of the tail components, which were mounted in a horizontal fin arrangement with two parallel actuators.

Electronics

The first version of the on-board electronics was a two-boards arrangement. Due to problems and delays with the company responsible of the manufacturing of said boards, there are no working exemplars of this solution. In the meantime the circuit has been redesigned and simplified to fit a single board, and we put together a very simple intermittent circuit to carry the first autonomous tests (without the robot being tethered to the tank).

Below are shown, in order: the original schematics of the two boards, the schematic of the oscillator used for the first tests, based on a 555 chip, and the intermittent circuit assembled on a prototype board.

Videos of the actuator tests

Here are some clips, filmed during the first experiments trying to have a working actuator. The polymer and the electrodes are held in place by rough adhesive, and the power is supplied by an external generator. we are manually changing the polarity of the current going through the actuator.

Final design

(todo)

Tests and results

(todo)

Videos of the robot in action