The distinctive swimming technique of a bony fish is being used to develop agile, propellerless submarines.

US researchers have created prototype mechanical fins that mimic the movements of the bluegill sunfish.

The robo-fins could recreate the fish’s powerful forward thrust and its manoeuvrability, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology team said.

Further work is being carried out to see how other sunfish movements could help to improve underwater vehicles.

The hope is that in the future propellerless, fish-like submarines could carry out a range of tasks, such as mapping oceans, surveying shipwrecks or sweeping for mines, with more agility and speed than current autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) controlled by propellers.

Read more (BBC)