Batoid rays, such as stingrays and manta rays, are among nature’s most elegant swimmers. They are fast, highly maneuverable, graceful, energy-efficient, and can cruise, bird-like, for long distances in the deep, open ocean, and rest on the sea bottom.
“They are wonderful examples of optimal engineering by nature,” says Hilary Bart-Smith, an associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the University of Virginia‘s School of Engineering and Applied Science.
They are designing an “autonomous underwater vehicle” that someday may surpass what nature has provided as a model. The vehicle has potential commercial and military applications, and could be used for undersea exploration and scientific research.
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