[Past Projects]
Dr. Henry Astley and Stephen Howe
Fish are adept swimmers that control their locomotion using relatively simple methods. We have been gathering swimming data from live fish and creating models to describe their behaviors. Working with live fish comes with certain limitations due to unpredictable fish behavior and the inaccessibility of rare or delicate species. We are developing a robotic model to test hypotheses about turning behavior in fish that we would not be able to test with live fish. This robot will help us understand how fish control turns and what are the limitations of their maneuverability. The robot will allow us to study the relationship between body shape and swimming performance to add some perspective to a long-standing debate in the fish swimming literature. Expect to learn about robotics, 3D modeling, videography and image tracking, and fish biomechanics. We are interested in undergraduate students from any major that are willing to learn any of the above skills. No prior experience is necessary.
Click here to learn more about the Astley Lab