Energy Analysis of a CPG-controlled Miniature Robotic Fish

Bionic robotic fish has a significant impact on design and control of innovative underwater robots capable of both rapid swimming and high maneuverability. This paper explores the relationship between Central Pattern Generator (CPG) based locomotion control and energy consumption of a miniature self-propelled robotic fish. To this end, a real-time energy measurement system compatible with the CPG-based locomotion control is firstly built on an embedded system. Then, tests are conducted on the untethered actual robot. The results indicate that different CPG feature parameters involving amplitude, frequency, and phase lag play distinct roles in energy consumption under different swimming gaits. Specifically, energy consumption is positively correlated with the changes in the amplitude and frequency of CPGs, whereas the phase lag of CPGs has little influence on the energy consumption. It may offer important inspiration for improving energy efficiency and locomotion performance of versatile swimming gaits.