Structural diagrams for the biomimetic seahorse underwater ROV. Segment geometry, side-mounted eye sockets, fin propulsion layout, prehensile tail mechanism, energy harvesting integration, and impact behavior. Use as starting geometry for CAD / 3D print prototyping.
Head segments: 4 L-shaped plates with eye sockets on left and right walls. Flat viewports set into curved plate surfaces. Dorsal fin ray on top, ballast rail on bottom. Body/mid/tail segments omit eye sockets but keep same plate geometry.
Tapering segments from head to tail. Dorsal fin array runs along the top ridge. Electronics distributed by zone. Tether exits at tail. Ballast on ventral rail.
Plates slide on impact. O-ring seal at overlap prevents water ingress.
TPU flex zone between segments. Allows body articulation for swimming.
Cameras sit in eye sockets on the sides of the head — like a real seahorse. Each eye rotates 180° independently, enabling three distinct vision modes. Top-down view showing eye placement and FOV convergence.
Sine wave propagates along fin ray array. Frequency = speed, amplitude = power, direction = forward/reverse. Silent propulsion — won't spook fish.
Bumping rocks, submerged structure, or launch impact from shore. Plates slide, spine stays sealed. Electronics and cameras protected.
MVP 1: manual adjustable ballast weights. Future: active syringe pump buoyancy engine. Saltwater = more buoyant (add weight), Freshwater = less buoyant (remove weight).
Tendon-driven curling tail grips structure for zero-power station keeping. One servo, two cables. Fail-safe: power off = slack tendon = auto-release + float to surface.
Solar cells between dorsal fin rays. Micro turbine in tail funnel. When anchored in current, tail simultaneously grips AND funnels water through the generator. MPPT controller manages both inputs.