BCF swimmer locomotion pattern experiments an a flexible robotic fish

Fish perform complex motion patterns for an efficient and powerful propulsion. Bio-inspired fish alike robots still fail to fully reproduce those locomotion due to technical constraints such as different mass distribution or significant lower artificial actuation power-to-density ratios. Recent studies describe a significant role of the head motion for an efficient propulsion. However while the tail motion has been studies extensively, the head motion is still not fully understood and contradictory findings regarding its impact were published even recently. In fact, the head motion is due to a complex fluid-fish interaction and it's active control is challenging.