IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - June 2013 - 35

Activity Format
The format of the activity at the aquarium has both live
and robotic fish experiences. Upon entering the aquarium, each class is directed to the Glover's Reef exhibit that
mimics a real Belizean environment. The students can
observe fish characterized by different types of swimming
modalities, including eels, rays, wrasses, and chromises,
for approximately 15 min. An aquarium educator guides
their observations toward the different types of locomotion that animals underwater may use to move in their
environment. The class is then asked to think about what
characteristics of body or motion are required to make a
fish swim quickly.
When the tour adjourns, the students are led to an education building at the aquarium, where several stations are prepared along with a robotic fish test platform. The classes are
given a few minutes of instruction outlining the stations,
which comprise the fin-making station, the testing pool
station, the research station, the engineering station, and the
survey station.
A typical route for a student through the activity is as
follows:
1) The student goes to the fin-making station, where he or she
cuts a caudal fin out of a fin template based on what he or
she has observed during the tour (see Figure 7).
2) The student walks to the testing pool station and is assisted
in mounting this fin on the robot and controlling the swimming of the robot using a remote control (see Figure 6).
3) After the experimental trial, the student walks to the
research station where he or she is guided through the
poster by one of the high school students, who explains the

Activity Interactive Material
In accompaniment with the robotic fish, the high school
students created caudal fin templates from which the participants were able to construct their own biologically
inspired caudal fins (see Figure 4). These fins can easily be
inserted into the keyhole slot on each robot's tail to allow
for quick trials of each student's fin. An ample amount of
caudal fin templates was prepared so that each student
could have several tries.
The high school students also created a testing pool for
the robots, shown in use in Figure 6, comprising a large
plastic storage container. The container was equipped to
be divided into three lanes by colorful buoys and twine,
giving it the effect of a miniature swimming pool. In addition, the high school students created a finish line from a
flag hoisted between two wooden dowels at one end of the
pool. This allowed the participants an arena in which to
test their caudal fins on the robotic fish and compete their
fins against one another via the simultaneous operation of
two robots in the pool.

significance of robotic fish in the DSL's research. At this station, the student also observes videos of the IPMC-actuated robotic fish developed in the DSL.
4) From this point, the student walks to the engineering station
to see and handle disassembled robot parts,
including circuit boards,
The robots included
servomotors, IPMCs,
and plastic hulls. Here,
modular features that
the student has an
explicit opportunity to
allowed participants to
ask one of the members
of the DSL questions he
design and test their own
or she might have (see
Figure 8).
biologically inspired
5) The student goes to the
survey station and
caudal fins.
answers the survey prepared for this study.
At the end of the visit, the students are thanked for their
time, attention, and enthusiasm and informed that their
survey answers will be used to assess the strengths and
weaknesses of the activity. In addition, any remaining questions from the students are answered.

Figure 6. Two robotic fish racing with student-made caudal fins.

POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE OF NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

high school students accurately described such highlevel
ideas as the basic principles behind the IPMCs used in DSL
research projects.

Figure 7. Students make caudal fins for robotic fish inspired by
live fish in the aquarium.

june 2013

IEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION MAGAZINE

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - June 2013