Fish and robots swimming together in a water tunnel: robot color and tail-beat frequency influence fish behavior.

ABSTRACT: The possibility of integrating bioinspired robots in groups of live social animals may constitute a valuable tool to study the basis of social behavior and uncover the fundamental determinants of animal functions and dysfunctions. In this study, we investigate the interactions between individual golden shiners (Notemigonus crysoleucas) and robotic fish swimming together in a water tunnel at constant flow velocity. The robotic fish is designed to mimic its live counterpart in the aspect ratio, body shape, dimension, and locomotory pattern. Fish positional preference with respect to the robot is experimentally analyzed as the robot's color pattern and tail-beat frequency are varied. Behavioral observations are corroborated by particle image velocimetry studies aimed at investigating the flow

SUBMITTER: Polverino G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3808421 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature