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Chinese Journal of Engineering Design  2026, Vol. 33 Issue (1): 56-64    DOI: 10.3785/j.issn.1006-754X.2026.05.146
Robotic and Mechanism Design     
Design and performance analysis of bistable structure-based frog-inspired swimming robot
Jiming CHEN(),Haoxin XIONG,Yuanfan CHENG,Kun CHEN,Junfeng HU()
School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
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Abstract  

In response to the requirements of biomimetic swimming propulsion technology, a frog-inspired swimming robot based on a bistable structure is designed. By constructing a linkage-spring-cable composite mechanism, a bistable actuator with rapid energy transition characteristics was proposed. The device utilized an elastic deformation energy storage mechanism of springs to achieve millisecond-level switching between stable states under periodic torque input, generating efficient propulsion through hydrodynamic reaction forces via paddle blades. Subsequently, through ADAMS dynamics simulations and prototype experiments, the influence laws of key parameters such as the paddle blade swing angle amplitude, the spring stiffness, and the spring compression on the response ability and motion performance of the robot were analyzed. Results showed that increasing the stiffness of the main spring k? could enhance the robot's energy storage and release capabilities, and enhance the swing output force, enabling the robot to achieve an average propulsion speed of 43.33 cm/s (1.73 body lengths per second) within 0.3 s after activation. Increasing the compression of the spring k2 could improve propulsion force, with experiments recording a maximum instantaneous propulsion force of 2.14 N (2.58 times body weight). Tests demonstrated that when the actuation cycle of the bistable actuator was 0.5 s, the robot achieved a stable swimming speed of 22.5 cm/s. The designed bistable actuator provides a new paradigm for high-power-density actuation in biomimetic underwater robots, enhancing the application potential of robots in disaster rescue and ecological monitoring fields.



Key wordsfrog-inspired swimming robot      bistable actuator      dynamics simulation      swimming speed     
Received: 03 June 2025      Published: 01 March 2026
CLC:  TH 122  
Corresponding Authors: Junfeng HU     E-mail: 2538065998@qq.com;hjfsuper@126.com
Cite this article:

Jiming CHEN,Haoxin XIONG,Yuanfan CHENG,Kun CHEN,Junfeng HU. Design and performance analysis of bistable structure-based frog-inspired swimming robot. Chinese Journal of Engineering Design, 2026, 33(1): 56-64.

URL:

https://www.zjujournals.com/gcsjxb/10.3785/j.issn.1006-754X.2026.05.146     OR     https://www.zjujournals.com/gcsjxb/Y2026/V33/I1/56


基于双稳态结构的仿青蛙游动机器人设计与性能分析

面向仿生游动推进技术需求,设计了一款基于双稳态结构的仿青蛙游动机器人。通过构建连杆-弹簧-线缆复合机构,提出了一种具有快速能量跃迁特性的双稳态致动器。该装置利用弹簧的弹性形变储能机制,在周期性力矩输入下实现稳态间的毫秒级切换,通过桨叶借助水动力反作用力形成高效推进效应。随后,通过ADAMS动力学仿真与样机实验,分析了桨叶摆角幅值、弹簧刚度、弹簧压缩量等关键参数对机器人响应能力和运动性能的影响规律。其中,提高主弹簧k?的刚度可提高双稳态致动器的储能与释能能力,并增强摆动输出力,促使机器人在静止启动后0.3 s内的平均推进速度达43.33 cm/s(1.73倍体长每秒);增加弹簧k?的压缩量可提高推进力,通过实验测得机器人的最大瞬时推进力为2.14 N(2.58倍体重)。测试表明,当双稳态致动器的驱动周期为0.5 s时,机器人可实现22.5 cm/s的稳定游动速度。所设计的双稳态致动器为仿生水下机器人提供了高爆发驱动的新范式,提高了机器人在灾难救援、生态监测等领域的应用潜力。


关键词: 仿青蛙游动机器人,  双稳态致动器,  动力学仿真,  游动速度 
Fig.1 Frog swimming diagram
Fig.2 Structure of frog-inspired swimming robot
Fig.3 Division of robot movement periods
Fig.4 Robot swimming principle
Fig.5 Paddle blade shape and its bending stiffness test
Fig.6 Structure composition of bistable actuator
Fig.7 Operating principle of bistable actuator
Fig.8 Structural diagram of bistable actuator
Fig.9 Variation tread of elastic potential energy during steady-state switching
Fig.10 Steady-state switching process of bistable actuator
Fig.11 Actuation principle of bistable actuator
Fig.12 Motion state of robot within an actuation cycle
Fig.13 Relationship between average swimming speed vt0 and paddle blade upper swing angle α1
Fig.14 Relationship between average swimming speed v0.3 s and paddle blade down swing angle α2
Fig.15 Relationship between main spring stiffness and overall elastic potential energy
Fig.16 Swing output force testing platform
Fig.17 Variation curves of swing output force under different main spring stiffnesses
Fig.18 Average swimming speed v0.3 s under different main spring stiffnesses
Fig.19 Schematic diagram of spring k₂ compression
Fig.20 Relationship between average swimming speed and spring compression
Fig.21 Robot swimming speed test
Fig.22 Relationship between average swimming speed and actuation cycle
 
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