Draper Laboratory

Multiuse Robot The Robotic Tuna can be used to enter high risk areas such as: Mine-filled harbors High radiation areas Low visibility waters The Tuna is fully customizable and can be equipped with cameras, can be equipped with cameras, sonar, and a global positioning sonar, and a global positioning system. This array of features make system. This array of features make the Robotic Tuna suitable for rescue missions and underwater patrol. It can also dive a 100 feet so the open ocean might not be its specialty.

Tuna’s Internal Components Beneath the waterproof carbon fiber skin lies: A computer BatteriesMotors Sensing instruments The tail is made up of four independent hydraulic links, covered by flexible laminate "scales." The scales bridge the gaps between the ribs so that when the tail bends, the outer surface stays hydro-dynamically smooth. The freely flooded tail is then covered with a neoprene "skin," which reduces drag.

About the Tuna The Robotic Tuna is known as “VCUUVP”.This stands for Vorticity Control Unmanned Undersea Vehicle. The Robot swims just like a real tuna. The tuna’s tail and body side to side movements produce create vorticity, a spiral fluid movement, which produces a jet, which helps give it the swimming action. The tuna has incredible maneuverability. It is capable of completing a 90 degree turn in a time of 3 seconds. It can repeatedly complete 90 degree turns at 10 second intervals. This is ideal in avoiding danger or turning in tight spots.

Comparison to a real tuna The Robotic Tuna reaches a max speed of 2.4 knots(2.75 mph) for a period of 3 hours. A real tuna can reach speeds up to 45 mph. Further research will enable the Robotic Tuna to reach higher cruising speeds. Length of Tuna was unspecified but comparing the diver and Robotic Tuna underwater photo on the right, one can assume if the diver is 6 feet the robotic tuna will approximately be about 12 feet in length.

Video Clip Note: The robotic tuna swims very lively and maneuvers well.

Makers of the Robotic Tuna The Tuna was manufactured by Dr. Jamie and a design team at Draper Laboratory. The design templates actually came from a real yellow fin tuna caught off Long Island Sound. Also involved in the design of the robot was Peter Kerrebrock and Mark Little as well as several students that were on hand.

Sources Current Science and Technology Center