This paper describes a first prototype of a cephalopod-like biomimetic aquatic robot. The robot replicates the ability of cephalopods to travel in the aquatic environment by means of pulsed jet propulsion. A number of authors have already experimented with pulsed jet thrusting devices in the form of traditional piston-cylinder chambers and oscillating diaphragms. However, in this work the focus is placed in designing a faithful biomimesis of the structural and functional components of the Octopus vulgaris, hence the robot is shaped as an exact copy of an octopus and is composed, to a major extent, of soft materials. In addition, the propelling mechanism is driven by a compression/expansion cycle analogous to that found in cephalopods. This work offers a hands-on experience of the swimming biomechanics of chephalopods and an insight into a yet unexplored new mode of aquatic propulsion.
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