Nature in engineering for monitoring the oceans: comparison of the energetic costs of marine animals and AUVs

Phillips, A.B.; Haroutunian, M.; Man, S.K.; Murphy, A.J.; Boyd, S.W.; Blake, J.I.R.; Griffiths, G.. 2012 Nature in engineering for monitoring the oceans: comparison of the energetic costs of marine animals and AUVs. In: Roberts, G.N.; Sutton, R., (eds.) Further Advances in Unmanned Marine Vehicles. Stevenage, The Institute of Engineering and Technology, 373-405, 459pp. (IET Control Engineering Series, 77).

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Abstract/Summary

The range of physiological adaptations possessed by marine animals allowing them to successfully operate in the marine environment is a plentiful source of inspiration for the designers of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles. This chapter compares the total energetic cost of straight line swimming for both marine animals and AUVs, using cost of transport (COT) as a comparative metric. COT is a normalised measure of the energetic cost of transporting the animal’s or vehicle’s mass over a unit distance. It includes non propulsion power requirements as well as considering the energy lost by actuators and mechanical couplings and energy lost in the wake. Comparisons presented in this chapter show that marine animals typically have higher optimum COT than engineered systems of equivalent size. However parallels may be drawn, for example, to increase range both marine animals and AUVs appear to favour reducing non-propulsion power costs and travelling slowly to ensure operating at the minimum COT.

Item Type:	Publication - Book Section
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1049/PBCE077E_ch17
ISBN:	978-1-84919-479-2
Date made live:	07 Nov 2012 16:18 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/436783

Item Type:

Publication - Book Section

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1049/PBCE077E_ch17

ISBN:

978-1-84919-479-2

Date made live:

07 Nov 2012 16:18 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/436783