Inspired by a survival mechanism of a honeybee trapped on the surface of water, the SurferBot is a centimeter-scale vibrating robotic device that self-propels on a fluid surface. This low-cost and easily assembled device is capable of rectilinear motion, and can be used to explore particles at fluid interfaces, as well as in robotics.
Role: Lab Researcher, Industrial Design, Video Creator Collaborators: Daniel M. Harris, Robert Hunt, Stuart J Thomson Year: 2020-22
Read the paper here! ● Published in Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, 2022
What happens if you take an asymmetric mass and vibrate it in the water?
It moves! Fun, but why?
When you shake something in the water, the oscillating body generates surface waves that carry excess momentum with them. The waves are larger in the back than in the front, leading to a net forward thrust. This asymmetry results from the rearward motor position.
The unbalanced response generates larger waves at the back, propelling the Surferbot forward!
