Multi-physics model of an electric fish-like robot: Numerical aspects and application to obstacle avoidance

The paper deals with the modeling of a fish-like robot equipped with the electric sense, suited to study sensorimotor loops. The proposed multi-physics model merges a swimming dynamic model of a fish-like robot with an electric model of an embedded electrolocation sensor. Based on a TCP-IP and threaded framework, the resulting simulator works in real time. After presenting the modeling aspects of this work, this article focuses on two numerical studies. In the first, the interactions between body deformations and perception variables are studied and a current correction process is proposed. In the second study, an electric exteroceptive feedback loop based on a direct current measurement method is designed and tested for obstacle avoidance.