• Dr. James Tangorra
  • Drexel University
  • 118C Surge Building
  • 4:00 p.m.
  • Faculty Host: Dr. Michael Philen

Bony fish swim with a level of agility that is unmatched in human-developed underwater systems. This is due, in large part, to the ability of fish to carefully control hydrodynamic forces through the sensory based modulation of the fins' kinematics and mechanical properties. To better understand how fish produce and control forces, biorobotic models of the bluegill sunfish's (Lepomis macrochirus) caudal and pectoral fins, and of the pectoral fin's sensory and control systems have been developed. The designs of these systems were based on detailed analyses of the anatomy, kinematics, and hydrodynamics of the biological fins and on neuromechanical studies of the sensory systems intrinsic to the biological fins. These models have been used to investigate how fin kinematics and mechanical properties influence propulsive forces and to understand how sensory information gathered about the fin and the flow relates to fin performance.