DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF AN UNDERWATER RESCUE BOT WITH SOFT ROBOTIC ARMS

An underwater rescue bot is designed and fabricated to be used in flood rescue operations. The bot consists of an outer body made using 3D printing technology to which four ‘soft’ arms are attached to the periphery for grabbing objects. The arms are a good application of soft robotics and is based on the bio-mimetic model of an octopus’s tentacle. The main body houses the electronics and power supply which is sealed from external tampering. The entire bot is made waterproof using different techniques. The bot’s locomotion system is based on that of a quadcopter’s. Four arms holding the propellers are connected to the body such that they can be controlled by the input we give through the transmitter. The bot stands out from other conventional underwater robots with rigid end effectors, as the soft robotic arms allow for increased flexibility and improved safety when there is robot-human interaction.