Motion Planning for Wave-Like-Actuated Manta-Inspired Amphibious Robots

Inspired by manta rays, an amphibious robot is designed by utilizing a wave-like mechanism for propulsion. In terms of robot design, the swimming characteristics of the manta ray are analyzed, and mechanical structures such as flexible biomimetic fins and wave-like propulsion mechanisms are designed, enabling the robot to move both in water and on land. Furthermore, the kinematic model of the wave-like-actuated manta-inspired amphibious robot is established. Then, a path planning method based on the improved Rapidly-exploring Random Tree (RRT) algorithm is proposed, and combined with S-curve acceleration and deceleration planning to achieve velocity planning for robots. Experiments are conducted to validate the robot’s motion performance and the effectiveness of the motion planning algorithm.