Marshall Graybill
PhD Research · Bioinspired Design

PhD Research

Overview to come: the big question behind the PhD, and how the three studies below connect sharks, penguins, and swimming robots.

Study 01 · Shark-inspired surfaces

Shark Inspired Surface Structure Effects on Fin Swimming Performance

Summary to come: How shark-skin-like surface structures change the thrust, drag, or efficiency of a swimming fin.

  • Status To add
  • Methods To add
  • Collaborators To add
Fin with a shark-inspired surface texture, underwater in blue light
Fin with shark-inspired surface texture

Research Question

The question this study asks and why it matters.

Approach

How the fins or robots were designed, built, and tested: fabrication, experimental setup, measurements.

Fin test rig: acrylic tank in an aluminium frame, a close-up labelling the stroke servo, pitch servo, force and torque sensor and textured fin, and a macro view of the surface texture
Test setup · tank, actuators, and surface texture

Findings

Key results and what they mean for fin design and swimming performance.

Publications & Presentations

Papers, posters, and talks from this study, with links.

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Study 02 · Penguin-inspired fins

Effects of Flexibility for Penguin Inspired Pectoral Fins

Summary to come: How the stiffness of a penguin-inspired pectoral fin affects its swimming performance.

  • Status To add
  • Methods To add
  • Collaborators To add
Flexible fin · front view, slowed down

Research Question

The question this study asks and why it matters.

Approach

How the fins or robots were designed, built, and tested: fabrication, experimental setup, measurements.

Stand-in · Fins of varying flexibility
Stand-in · Flow or force results

Findings

Key results and what they mean for fin design and swimming performance.

Publications & Presentations

Papers, posters, and talks from this study, with links.

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Study 03 · Swimming robots

Bioinspired Swimming Robots

Summary to come: The bioinspired swimming robots built to test these fins and surfaces in the water.

  • Status To add
  • Methods To add
  • Collaborators To add
MiniBotV2 · motion study

Research Question

The question this study asks and why it matters.

Approach

How the fins or robots were designed, built, and tested: fabrication, experimental setup, measurements.

Top view of MiniPenguinV1 with a see-through shell showing servos, linkages, and fins
MiniPenguinV1 · top view
Three-quarter view of MiniPenguinV1 with a see-through shell showing servos and internals
MiniPenguinV1 · three-quarter view

Findings

Key results and what they mean for fin design and swimming performance.

Publications & Presentations

Papers, posters, and talks from this study, with links.

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