In recent years, robotic underwater vehicles have become
more common in a variety of industrial and civil sectors. They are used
extensively by the scientific community to study the ocean. For example, underwater
robots have been used to discover or study a number of deep sea animals and
plants in their natural environment.
Now, a new class of underwater robot has emerged that mimics
designs found in nature. These 'biomimetic' vehicles can achieve higher degrees
of efficiency in propulsion and manoeuvrability by copying successful designs
in nature.