@article {2018, title = {Peristaltic Waves as Optimal Gaits in Metameric Bio-Inspired Robots}, journal = {Frontiers in Robotics and AI}, volume = {5}, year = {2018}, month = {09/2018}, abstract = {

Peristalsis, i.e., a motion pattern arising from the propagation of muscle contraction and expansion waves along the body, is a common locomotion strategy for limbless animals. Mimicking peristalsis in bio-inspired robots has attracted considerable attention in the literature. It has recently been observed that maximal velocity in a metameric earthworm-like robot is achieved by actuating the segments using a {\textquotedblleft}phase coordination{\textquotedblright} principle. This paper shows that, in fact, peristalsis (which requires not only phase coordination, but also that all segments oscillate at same frequency and amplitude) emerges from optimization principles. More precisely, basing our analysis on the assumption of small deformations, we show that peristaltic waves provide the optimal actuation solution in the ideal case of a periodic infinite system, and that this is approximately true, modulo edge effects, for the real, finite length system. Therefore, this paper confirms the effectiveness of mimicking peristalsis in bio-inspired robots, at least in the small-deformation regime. Further research will be required to test the effectiveness of this strategy if large deformations are allowed.

}, keywords = {Biomimetic robots, Crawling motility, Lumbricus terrestris, Metameric robots, Optimization, Peristalsis, Self-propulsion, Soft robotics}, issn = {2296-9144}, doi = {10.3389/frobt.2018.00099}, url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/frobt.2018.00099}, author = {Daniele Agostinelli and Fran{\c c}ois Alouges and Antonio DeSimone} } @article {20.500.11767_81735, title = {Predicting and Optimizing Microswimmer Performance from the Hydrodynamics of Its Components: The Relevance of Interactions}, journal = {SOFT ROBOTICS}, volume = {5}, year = {2018}, pages = {410{\textendash}424}, doi = {10.1089/soro.2017.0099}, url = {https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6094362/}, author = {Nicola Giuliani and Luca Heltai and Antonio DeSimone} } @conference {mola2014ship, title = {Potential Model for Ship Hydrodynamics Simulations Directly Interfaced with CAD Data Structures}, booktitle = {The 24th International Ocean and Polar Engineering Conference}, volume = {4}, year = {2014}, pages = {815{\textendash}822}, publisher = {International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers}, organization = {International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers}, author = {Andrea Mola and Luca Heltai and Antonio DeSimone and Massimiliano Berti} } @conference {10.1007/978-90-481-9195-6_4, title = {A Phase Field Approach to Wetting and Contact Angle Hysteresis Phenomena}, booktitle = {IUTAM Symposium on Variational Concepts with Applications to the Mechanics of Materials}, year = {2010}, pages = {51{\textendash}63}, publisher = {Springer Netherlands}, organization = {Springer Netherlands}, address = {Dordrecht}, abstract = {

We discuss a phase field model for the numerical simulation of contact angle hysteresis phenomena in wetting. The performance of the model is assessed by comparing its predictions with experimental data on the critical size of drops that can stick on a vertical glass plate.

}, isbn = {978-90-481-9195-6}, author = {Antonio DeSimone and Livio Fedeli and Turco, Alessandro}, editor = {Hackl, Klaus} }