Patent Publication Number: US-2012040324-A1

Title: Remotely controlled biomimetic robotic fish as a scientific and educational tool

Description:
STATEMENT OF RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application claims the benefit under 35 USC 120 of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/372,894 having a filing date of 12 Aug. 2010. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The invention generally relates to the field of scientific and educational tools and learning and more specifically relates to the field of employing biomimetic robotic devices as scientific and educational tools, particularly in pre-college and pre-university youth and for the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. 
     2. Prior Art 
     Engineering disciplines such as biomedical, chemical, civil, electrical, and mechanical play essential roles in the everyday lives of our society, yet the interests of kindergarten through 12 th  grade (K-12) students in the United States in these and other engineering fields is fading. It is therefore critical to excite young minds about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), in particular to underserved and minority populations with limited access to technology. Interactive robots have been proposed in the literature to reach out to students and the general public as a means to spark interest in STEM fields. 
     Previous outreach programs include using robotics, such as LEGO MINDSTORMS brand or the Parallax BASIC Stamp II, to motivate interest in STEM fields. These types of robotic instruments are successful in developing logical thinking and engineering practices in students, but they may not entirely encompass ideas about biologically-inspired design and often are too expensive for implementation in every curriculum. The biomimetic robotic fish of the present invention offers a low-cost solution to an interactive hands-on curriculum for STEM in K-12 and higher education. 
     Robotic fish are known generally, both as subjects of research and as toys. For example, see http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2009/robo-fish-0824.html, www.robotic-fish.net, http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/freeabs_all.jsp?arnumber=5272397, and www.egr.msu.edu/˜xbtan/Papers/iros06_fish.pdf. However, such robotic fish are generally expensive research tools or inexpensive toys, and do not function as scientific and educational tools. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a biomimetic robotic fish device for use as a scientific and educational tool and as a low-cost solution to an interactive hands-on curriculum for STEM in K-12 and higher education. It is to these needs and others that the present invention is directed. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly, the invention comprises a remotely controlled and miniature biomimetic robotic fish as a scientific and educational tool. The robot is flexible and robust enough to be used for education from kindergarten through college level curricula. 
     The robotic fish of the present invention includes modular features that allow students to interact with the design of the robot based on observation of nature. For one example, students can design and create custom caudal fins to attach to the robotic fish. The robot has the capacity to interface with a computer and may be controlled with any program, by using any programming language, or with a designated remote control. 
     The system of the present invention may be adjusted depending on the grade and knowledge of the students. In its simplest mode, the robotic fish may be remotely controlled to swim and allow the students to attach their custom made caudal fins to learn and understand how the shape and properties of the caudal fin affects the movement and locomotion of fish. More advanced modes can allow students to create their own graphical user interface (GUI) to control the fish, which is useful for computer science education. Even more refined applications include autonomous operation of the robotic fish using a computer and onboard and external sensors such as digital compasses, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and video cameras. The autonomous operation algorithms can be programmed using a variety of input languages and software allowing the use of the system in courses such as undergraduate controls and mechatronics. 
     These features, and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art when the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments is read in conjunction with the appended drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a representative embodiment of the robotic biomimetic fish of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a view of a representative remote control for robotic biomimetic fish of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a view of a representative graphical user interface for advanced control of robotic biomimetic fish of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view representation of the robotic biomimetic fish illustrating steering with tail beat amplitude x; (a) swimming straight with n=0 degrees; (b) steering right with n=−20 degrees. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of representative embodiments of the robotic biomimetic fish of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of representative embodiments of the robotic biomimetic fish of the present invention shown with a camera. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a representative embodiment of a completed robotic fish with its body cap open and showing the power and control electronics along with the battery and servomotor. 
         FIG. 8  is a representative assessment survey for completion by students before participating in the activity of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a stacked bar graph of student agreement percentages before and after participating in the activity of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention comprises a remotely controlled and miniature biomimetic robotic fish as a scientific and educational tool. The robot is flexible and robust enough to be used for education from kindergarten through college level curricula and includes modular features that allow students to interact with the design of the robot based on observation of nature. In one illustrative embodiment, students can design and create custom caudal fins to attach to the robotic fish. In another illustrative embodiment, students can program the operation of the fish to autonomously respond to various stimuli. The robotic fish has the capacity to interface with a computer and can be controlled with any program or using any programming language. 
     The system of the present invention is adjustable in scope and complexity depending on the level of the students. In a simple embodiment, the robotic fish may be remotely controlled to swim. In another simple mode, students can design caudal fins for the robotic fish and attach their custom made caudal fins to learn and understand how the shape of the caudal fin affects the movement and locomotion of fish. More advanced embodiments can allow students to create their own graphical user interface (GUI) to control the fish, which is useful for computer science education. Even more complex embodiments can include autonomous operation of the robotic fish using a computer and onboard and external sensors such as digital compasses, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and video cameras. The autonomous operation algorithms can be programmed using a variety of input languages and software allowing the use of the system in courses such as undergraduate controls and mechatronics. 
     Referring now to the figures, the robotic fish  10  is comprised of a plastic material and includes a body  12  containing power and control electronics  16  and a tail section  14  for propulsion. The onboard electronics  16  include a microcontroller unit for processing, a wireless transmitter for communication, and a rechargeable battery. A servomotor  70  is used to actuate the tail section  14  of the robotic fish  10 , effectively propelling it through the water. The robotic fish  10  is remotely operated via a remote control  50  or through a computer interface. 
     The onboard robot electronics  16  comprise a microcontroller for computing, a wireless transceiver for communication, sensors for telemetry, a waterproof servomotor for actuation, and a battery. The remote control  50  includes a microcontroller  52 , a joystick  54  for steering and tail beat frequency adjustment, a knob  56  for tail beat amplitude adjustment, status LEDs  58 , and a remote/computer mode selection switch  60 . 
     A main feature of the invention lies in the application of the low cost robotic fish  10  as a whole rather than the mechanics of the design itself. In its entirety, the robotic fish  10  provides a platform for kindergarten through college level education. That is, the robotic fish  10  system includes a multitude of modular features allowing users to directly interact with the system. One such feature, illustrated in  FIG. 1 , is the ability to attach a customized caudal fin  18 A, cut from a caudal fin template  18 B, to the robotic fish&#39;s tail section  14 , giving users the ability to design part of the robotic fish  10  to influence better swimming. This particular feature is intended for younger users, namely, up to early middle schoolers, but may be interesting and exciting for users of any age. Representative examples of embodiments of complete robotic fish  10  according to the present invention as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
     The remote control interface also is novel. The robotic fish  10  is operated using a custom designed remote control  50 , as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The remote control  50  houses a miniature joystick  54 , similar to ones common in video game system controllers, and a knob  56  for steering the robotic fish  10 . In addition, the remote control  50  includes a USB interface to a computer for advanced driving of the robotic fish  10 . This provides direct access to control parameters such as tail beating amplitude, frequency, and offset through a graphical user interface (GUI) as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The GUI includes telemetry from the robotic fish  10 . In one embodiment, robot heading, battery voltage, and water temperature are available to the operator. This added control aspect allows the use of the robotic fish  10  as a scientific platform for a variety of research topics. 
     The illustrative embodiment of the GUI was developed using a commercially available software package called LabVIEW, which is commonly used in university and research laboratories, in industry, and even in some high school classes. Using this or other software packages, a custom graphical user interface may be designed to fit the needs of the operator. This allows the platform to be used in a classroom setting as a proof of concept for a variety of topics, including programming and automatic controls. Other software packages may be used to interface with the remote control for added compatibility using standard serial protocol. 
     The remotely operated platform comprising the robotic fish  10  and the remote control  50  may be easily converted into an autonomous system via application specific hardware upgrades and/or programming revisions. That is, control algorithms may be developed on the computer and may utilize onboard or external sensors, such as an overhead camera, for feedback. This may find useful application in controls laboratory classes or for education-based competitions. 
     It is envisioned that the invention will supplement the already wide array of educational tools available on the market. The system is robust enough to easily be modified to serve lower and higher education applications and is advanced enough to accommodate fundamental research project needs. The low cost and wide applicability of the system is advantageous to education and research budgets. 
     In operation, the robotic fish  10  undulates in a manner similar to live fish. This allows the robotic fish  10  to replicate the locomotion of carangiform swimmers such as goldfish or minnows, demonstrating a biologically-inspired design. Referring to  FIG. 4 , the robotic fish  10  uses a single servomotor  70  for propulsion. The tail section  14  of the robotic fish  10  is attached to the servomotor horn  72 . The position of the servomotor horn  72  may be described in terms of degrees from a neutral position, say n. When the tail section  14  is not flapping, the position is considered to be 0 degrees, see  FIG. 4(   a ). When swimming in a straight line, the tail section  14  would beat from −x degrees to +x degrees, passing through n=0, where x is the tail beat amplitude. To steer, the neutral position n is shifted in either direction from 0 degrees. For example, if the beating amplitude is x=20 degrees and if steering right with a small turning rate n=−20 degrees, see  FIG. 4(   b ), the tail section  14  would beat from (x+n) to (−x+n) or (20+(−20)) to (−20+(−20)), hence, from 0 degrees to −40 degrees. 
     The robotic fish  10  can be used as an educational tool in the form of a kit comprising a robotic fish  10  and a remote control  50  system. The kits can be used to design interactive curricula and activities for K-12 students as a means to reinforce understanding and interest in STEM fields. Advanced modes of the system can be modified for use in undergraduate controls or mechatronics courses. Lower grade versions may be devised as a children&#39;s toy providing a remotely controlled robotic fish  10 . The robotic fish  10  may be used as an educational tool in the illustrative ways shown in Table 1 in addition to public outreach: 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
             
            
               
                   
               
               
                 Illustrative educational applications for education level 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                 Education Level 
                 Subject Matter 
                 Possible Applications 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Pre High School 
                 Biology 
                 Vary caudal fins - demonstrate 
               
               
                 level 
                   
                 how various fin shapes and 
               
               
                   
                   
                 sizes from nature effect the 
               
               
                   
                   
                 swimming speed and 
               
               
                   
                   
                 performance of the robot 
               
               
                   
                 Physics 
                 Newton&#39;s Laws of motion - 
               
               
                   
                   
                 compare the flapping of the fin 
               
               
                   
                   
                 leading to thrust production to a 
               
               
                   
                   
                 hand-held fan 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Demonstrate positive effects of 
               
               
                   
                   
                 friction and viscosity on animal 
               
               
                   
                   
                 locomotion 
               
               
                 High School 
                 Electronics/ 
                 Offer the robot as a build it 
               
               
                 level/ 
                 Mechatronics/ 
                 yourself kit with expandable 
               
               
                 Undergraduate 
                 Robotics 
                 sensors and hardware 
               
               
                 level 
                 Computer Science 
                 Create custom graphical user 
               
               
                   
                   
                 interfaces for robot operation 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Program missions for the robot 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Custom robot firmware for third 
               
               
                   
                   
                 party hardware integration 
               
               
                 Undergraduate 
                 Automatic controls/ 
                 General feedback control 
               
               
                 level 
                 Mechatronics/ 
                 Use external sensors such as a 
               
               
                   
                 Robotics 
                 camera to design control 
               
               
                   
                   
                 algorithms 
               
               
                   
                   
                 For single-agent/multi-agent 
               
               
                   
                   
                 system development and testing 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Path-planning 
               
               
                   
                 Measurement 
                 Mobile sensing platform for 
               
               
                   
                 Systems/ 
                 class projects and 
               
               
                   
                 Environmental 
                 demonstrations 
               
               
                   
                 Engineering 
               
               
                   
                 Fluid Dynamics 
                 Demonstrate: drag, thrust, flow 
               
               
                   
                   
                 visualization for vortex shedding 
               
               
                 Graduate level 
                 Nonlinear controls/ 
                 Advanced single-agent/multi- 
               
               
                   
                 Mechatronics/ 
                 agent system development and 
               
               
                   
                 Robotics 
                 testing 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Nonlinear controller design 
               
               
                   
                 Experimental Fluid 
                 Class projects and 
               
               
                   
                 Dynamics 
                 demonstrations 
               
               
                   
                 Advances 
                 Linear versus non-linear 
               
               
                   
                 Vibrations 
                 underwater vibrations in water 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     The robotic fish  10  also can be used as a research tool. For example, the robotic fish  10  can serve as a low-cost autonomous underwater research vehicle for applications such as environmental mapping, single-agent/multi-agent system development, underwater control algorithm testing/validation, fluid-dynamics applications, etc. 
     Example of Implementation of the Invention 
     The following exemplary implementation of the method of the invention is based on the development, organization, and execution of a robotics-based outreach program designed to ignite K-12 students&#39; interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and to attract them toward engineering careers. The program consists of interactive fun-science activities for pre-high school students based on underwater robotics and marine science. The activity format and implementation revolves around ad-hoc designed, low-cost, remotely controlled, and miniature biomimetic fish-like robots. The robotic platform allows for multifaceted student engagement through direct guidance, design upgrade, and sporting competition. Support material for the activity, comprising pamphlets and posters, was developed by high school students, who also served as leading docents in the program. The survey results of the outreach program indicate the success of the activity in influencing the students&#39; perception of engineering. By comparing self-reported survey responses before and after the event, the students showed an increased interest in STEM fields and found engineering to be a more accessible and exciting discipline after the activity. 
     I. Introduction. Engineering disciplines, such as biomedical, chemical, civil, electrical, and mechanical, are instrumental to society&#39;s well-being and technological competitiveness. To broaden the base of engineers for the future, it is critical to excite young minds about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Research that is easily visible to K-12 students, including underserved and minority populations with limited access to technology, is crucial to ignite their interests in STEM fields. More specifically, research topics that involve interactive elements such as robots may be instrumental for K-12 education in the classroom and outside the classroom. 
     Interactive robots have been successfully used in STEM education and outreach activities. In K-12 education, robots can be employed to teach formal subjects, such as physics and science, and to inspire an explicit engineering curriculum. Beyond integrating robotics into school curricula, outreach activities centered on exciting children and teenagers about STEM greatly benefit the tangibility that robots offer. That is, robotics-based activities administered to students outside of school environments, in the form of workshops and summer camps, are shown to positively influence the participants&#39; understanding of engineering topics and further foster their interest in STEM fields. As an example, robots featured as keynote speakers during outreach and public events increase interest and information retention in the audience. The impact of robots in education is not limited to K-12 students, as robotics is extensively used in higher education to teach engineering principles and develop ‘design and compete’-type curricula. 
     Part of the research activities of the present inventors involves the design and implementation of underwater vehicles for marine studies. Potential applications of the research include developing effective strategies for coordination of low-cost multivehicle teams and studying animal robot interaction. Major efforts have been devoted to the guidance and control of gregarious fish using biomimetic robots. The overarching goal of these studies is to develop a comprehensive dynamical systems framework for the analysis and control of animal groups. The robotic fish  10  mimic live fish swimming and are easily operated using a remote control, making them a natural teaching tool for use with K-12 students. 
     Following is a narration of the fun-science activity exemplifying an embodiment of the method of the present invention. The format of the activity, which brings together K-12 students and robots, is unique in the authentic engineering experience it offers. The activity took place at the New York Aquarium (NYAQ) and took advantage of the stunning collection of fishes there to acquaint students with different modes of swimming. As per a real biologically inspired robot design, the students were introduced to robotic fish  10  and were encouraged to design and make caudal fins  18 A for the robotic fish  10 . The students tested these caudal fins  18 A on the robotic fish  10  to ascertain the effect of caudal fin  18 A size and shape on swimming. 
     The planning and implementation of the fun-science activity was enhanced by using two high school students with prior experience in the NYAQ&#39;s teen docent program. The high school students were able to act as liaisons between the elementary/middle school student participants and the inventors, while bringing intimate knowledge of the NYAQ to the planning of the activity. Additionally, locating this exemplary activity in Brooklyn, N.Y. and targeting local public schools for participation allowed impacting often underserved populations, whose access to engineering and science experiences can be limited by socioeconomic and cultural barriers. 
     II. Interactive Robotic Fish For Outreach. Past endeavors have brought forth remotely controlled biomimetic robotic fish propelled by ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs) and powered by onboard batteries. IPMCs are a novel class of compliant smart materials that deform in response to a voltage signal applied across their electrodes. An IPMC strip in connection with a passive silicone fin at its tip comprises an artificial flapping tail for the robotic fish; this allows the robot to replicate the locomotion of carangiform swimmers such as goldfish or minnows. 
     The high cost of IPMC actuators limits the use of these vehicles in the classroom. In addition, IPMCs, in these early stages of development, are delicate materials which require careful use and storage and are not easily handled by children. Therefore, the inventors sought to develop a low cost and more resilient version of the biomimetic robotic fish. The result is a servomotor-driven, attractive, and child-friendly platform based on off-the-shelf electronics, as shown in  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 6  is a perspective view of representative alternate embodiments of the robotic fish  10  of the present invention shown with an optional camera  26 . 
     The servomotor-propelled robotic fish  10  are designed to swim at speeds comparable to that of the live fish which they are intended to mimic, approximately 1 body-length per second and have an approximate turning radius of 1 body-length. The robotic fish  10  are designed to be easily controlled by young participants using a video-game like remote control interface. Each robotic fish  10  is given a unique color for easy identification by the operator. Multiple robotic fish  10  may be operated simultaneously during race type events, as each one has its own designated remote control  50 . The entire system costs under US$100 on a limited production basis, making the robotic fish  10  affordable for classroom implementation. 
     A. Robotic fish anatomy. The robotic fish  10  are comprised of an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic body shell  20 , tail section  14 , and body cap  22 . The electronics  16  and battery for control and power are encased in the body shell  20 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . The electronics  16  include a microcontroller unit, a wireless transceiver, power regulators, and a rechargeable battery. A servomotor  70 , used to actuate the tail section  14  of the robotic fish  10 , fits into a compartment at the back of the body shell  20 . The tail section  14  is connected to the servomotor  70  using a standard servo horn  72  and provides a means to attach a customizable caudal fin  18 A. The servomotor  70  preferably is waterproof and may operate underwater, provided that the inside of the body shell  20  is watertight for protection of the electronics  16  and for conservation of buoyancy. A counterweight composed of a thin strip of coated lead sits at the bottom of the body shell  20  to achieve neutral buoyancy and enhance pitch and roll stability. The body cap  22  provides access to the electronics compartment for initial assembly of the robotic fish  10  and preferably is permanently attached to the body shell  20  in the final robotic fish  10  implementation. A switch hidden behind the servomotor horn  72  allows the robotic fish  10  to be turned on and off and a power port is located at the back of the body shell  20  for charging. This configuration permits that the robotic fish  10  remains in its assembled form and does not require the body cap  22  to be removed during normal operation or for charging. The dimensions of the robotic fish  10  in this exemplary embodiment are approximately 117 mm in length, 48 mm in height, and 26 mm in width, without the customizable caudal fin  18 A attached. 
     B. Robotic fish interactive features. The robotic fish  10  are controlled using a remote control user interface, an example of which is shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The remote control  50  is enclosed in a transparent plastic case with all of its electronics visible to further enhance the learning experience. The remote control  50  contains a variety of inputs and outputs, giving the user the ability to control the robotic fish  10  locomotion. In particular, the tail beating frequency and amplitude may be modulated in addition to basic steering, forward, and stop commands. A video-game like joystick  54  provides steering control with left/right motions and control of the tail beating frequency with up/down motions. Additionally, a knob  56  allows for the selection of tail beating amplitude. LED lights  58  indicate when the remote control  50  is ready (green LED) and when the robotic fish  10  batteries are low (red LED). A toggle switch  60  is used to switch control from the manual control (joystick  54 ) to potential autonomous control (computer interface). 
     In its assembled form, the robotic fish  10  do not include a caudal fin  18 A. This allows the user, in this case the students participating in the activity, to experience biologically-inspired design by cutting out their own caudal fin  18 A from a premade template  18 B, as shown in  FIG. 1 . The template  18 B is constructed by ‘sandwiching’ a piece of paper and a 22 gage wire between two pieces of clear packing tape. The wire is used to secure the caudal fin template  18 B into the tail section  14  of the robotic fish  10  by snugly fitting into a keyhole slot. 
     III. Educational Material for Outreach. The activity at the NYAQ included informative and interactive elements to ignite K-12 students&#39; interest in technology and science and to attract them toward career opportunities in engineering. The program consisted of interactive fun-science activities at the NYAQ for elementary and middle school students based on underwater robotics and marine science, and it targeted the engaging intersection of these disciplines in the emerging field of biologically-inspired robotics. The activity was organized as a seventy-five minute event, including a tour of the NYAQ, an underwater robotics session, and an interactive engineering phase. Support material for the activity, comprising pamphlets and a poster, was developed by two high school students who also served as leading docents in the program. 
     A. Activity informative material. Two high school students, selected for their prior affiliation with the NYAQ through the teen docent program, worked on this program with a graduate student mentor for five hours per week. During this time, they first learned about the inventors&#39; ongoing research projects through demonstration of experiments by laboratory members and consultation of posters and papers resulting from this research. In addition, they studied fundamental concepts in smart materials and fish physiology to understand elements of these fields which are salient for biomimetic robot design and application. At the same time, the high school students were cognizant of their role as a bridge between the knowledge of elementary and middle school students and the scientific community at the laboratory. 
     Using this information, the high school students created several documents. The first was an informative pamphlet designed for interested teachers. The pamphlet detailed the basic robotics research questions addressed by the inventors, including creating a biomimetic vehicle for implementation with live animals. Also, the pamphlet expressed the motivation behind the inventors&#39; research with marine science background information and it outlined the proposed fun-science activity. The diction of the pamphlet was designed specifically for non-technical audiences, which is evidenced in the following quotation outlining fish locomotion:
         Fish swim in a variety of ways. Stingrays, for example, flap their fins like wings to glide on the bottom of the ocean floor. Eels, on the other hand, wriggle like snakes to get where they&#39;re going. The fish that we are going to focus on use a form of locomotion called carangiform. These fish are what we normally picture in our heads when we think of fish. To move in their environment, these fish wave their bodies like a flag. The ability to swim in this manner allows for some members of this class of fish to school (or swim in a group for protection).       

     The other educational document prepared by the high school students was a large 3′×2′ poster offering an overview of the inventors&#39; research, which also drew from their study on fish physiology. The colorful poster was informally presented by the high school students during the activity and was written using age-appropriate language and concepts. Adhering to this restriction, the high school students accurately described such high level ideas as the basic principles behind the IPMCs. 
     B. Activity interactive material. In accompaniment with the robotic fish  10 , the high school students created caudal fin templates  18 B from which the participants were able to construct their own biologically-inspired caudal fins  18 A, as shown in  FIG. 1 . The caudal fins  18 A can be easily inserted into the keyhole slot on the robotic fish  10  tail section  14  to allow for quick trials of each student&#39;s caudal fin  18 A. Caudal fin templates  18 B were prepared for each student to have several tries. 
     The high school students also realized a testing pool for the robotic fish  10 , comprising a large plastic storage container. The container was divided into three lanes by colorful buoys and twine, giving it the effect of a miniature swimming pool. In addition, the high school students created a ‘finish line’ from a flag hoisted between two wooden dowels at one end of the pool. This allowed the participants an arena to test their caudal fins  18 A on the robotic fish  10  and compete their caudal fins  18 A against one another via the simultaneous operation of two robotic fish  10  in the pool. 
     C. Activity format. The format of the activity at the NYAQ had both live and robotic fish  10  experiences. Upon entering the NYAQ, each class was directed to the Glover&#39;s Reef exhibit which mimics a real Belizean environment. The students observed fish characterized by different types of swimming modalities, including eels, rays, wrasses, and chromises, for approximately fifteen minutes. An aquarium educator guided their observations towards the different types of locomotion animals underwater may use to move in their environment. The class was then asked to think about what characteristics of body or motion are required to make a fish swim quickly. 
     When the tour adjourned, the students were lead to an education building at the aquarium, where several stations were prepared along with a robotic fish test platform. The classes were given a few minutes of instruction outlining the stations, which comprised the fin-making station, the testing pool station, the research station, the engineering station, and the survey station. 
     A typical route for a student through the activity was as follows. The student first went to the fin-making station, where he or she cut a caudal fin  18 A out of a fin template  18 B based on what he or she had observed during the tour. The student then walked to the testing pool station and was assisted in mounting this caudal fin  18 A on the robotic fish  10  and controlling the swimming of the robotic fish  10  using a remote control  50 . After this experimental trial, the student walked to the research station where he or she was guided through the poster by one of the high school students, who explained the significance of robotic fish  10  in the inventors&#39; research. At this station, the student also observed videos of the IPMC-actuated robotic fish developed by the inventors. From this point, the student walked to the engineering station to see and handle disassembled robot parts, including circuit boards, servomotors, IPMCs, and plastic hulls. Here, the student had an explicit opportunity to ask questions he or she might have. Lastly, the student went to the survey station and answered the survey prepared for the activity. 
     At the end of the visit, the students were thanked for their time, attention, and enthusiasm, and informed that their survey answers would be used to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the activity. In addition, any remaining questions of the students were answered. 
     IV. Results of the Program. Students were given two surveys, one several days before participating in the activity, called the preassessment, and one immediately after, called the postassessment. An image of the preassessment given before the activity is shown in  FIG. 8 . The preassessment is partitioned into two sections: fill-in-the-blank questions and statements S 1  to S 7 : S 1 : “Engineering is fun”; S 2 : “Engineers are cool”; S 3 : “I know many engineers”; S 4 : “Many kids in my class could become engineers”; S 5 : “Engineering is important for the future of our world”; S 6 : “Engineers don&#39;t need to know much about nature”; and S 7 : “I want to be an engineer when I grow up”, with which students must rate their agreement. The postassessment included fill-in-the-blank questions and statements S 1  to S 7  as well as statements S 8  to S 10 : S 8 : “I learned a lot today”; S 9 : “I would like to have more engineering presentations like this one in the future”; and S 10 : “Today&#39;s visit made engineering look fun”, and a drawing component. The surveys were intended to analyze the students&#39; notion/understanding of engineering professions, their interest in STEM careers, and the feasibility of these careers to them. 
     The fill-in-the-blank questions asked for basic demographic information, which school and grade is attended by the student, as well as a ‘comfort question’, what the student&#39;s favorite marine animal is, which was designed to put the student at ease while completing the survey. The relevant questions for assessing change in the student&#39;s perception of STEM asked for the student&#39;s favorite subject in school, for what the student wants to be when he or she grows up, and for one thing that engineers do. 
     A total of sixty-two students from a fourth grade class and a sixth grade class were surveyed before visiting the aquarium, and fifty students participated in the fun-science activity. The ages and socioeconomic backgrounds of students in both classes, separately participating in the activity over two days, were parallel as both classes come from public schools within one mile of one another. In light of this similarity, their surveys were combined to afford a larger sample of preassessment and postassessment responses analyzed. 
     The responses for favorite school subject were partitioned into STEM and non-STEM disciplines, with multiple responses considered STEM if they included at least one STEM discipline. Blank responses were discarded. The preassessment showed 71% of surveyed students preferring STEM fields and 29% preferring non-STEM fields. The postassessment suggested an increase in STEM preference, with 80% of students preferring STEM to 20% preferring non-STEM. 
     The responses for career aspirations, what the students would like to be when they grow up, were also partitioned into STEM and non-STEM fields. Multiple responses are counted as STEM if they included at least one STEM career. If “doctor” is considered a STEM profession, then a decline from 45% of students considering STEM careers before the activity to 38% after the activity was observed. However, excluding “doctor” responses, the STEM careers to which the students aspired rose from 21% to 26% of the remaining responses, which hinted at an increased interest in the less visible STEM professions. Additionally, of the non-STEM careers favored by the participants, approximately 25% chose police officer or “undercover cop” consistently in the preassessment and postassessment, which speaks to the more visible careers in their socioeconomic environment. 
     Student answers to the question “What is one thing engineers do?” shed light on the changing perceptions after the fun-science activity. Perhaps due to confusion over the difference between a mechanic and a mechanical engineer, 23% of students in the preassessment gave automotive-related responses to this question, such as fix or make cars. However, the postassessment shows only 13% of students had automotive-related answers. Additionally, the students&#39; responses were partitioned into three thematic subsets: fabrication (“make things”), maintenance (“fix things”), and other. The preassessment showed 39% fabrication, 49% maintenance, and 12% other. The postassessment showed a shifting distribution, with 46% fabrication, 30% maintenance, and 24% other. The “other” responses were generally discovery-oriented, such as “invent things”, “design new things”, “discover things and modeling”, and “build models of things they are going to do”. These responses in particular may be the result of students internalizing the basic scientific method by simultaneous exposure to many aspects of the design process during the event at the NYAQ. 
       FIG. 9  shows stacked bar graphs representing the distribution of students&#39; agreement or disagreement with statements S 1  to S 7  on the preassessment and S 1  to S 10  on the postassessment, with AA denoting “agree a lot”, A denoting “agree”, D denoting “disagree”, and DA denoting “disagree a lot”. As above, statements without response, or with multiple responses to the same statement, were excluded from this analysis. S 1  and S 2  were designed to test the perception of the engineering discipline. S 3  asked for demographic information about the students&#39; personal ties to engineering professionals. S 4  was written to test the accessibility of engineering as a career to the students. S 5  and S 6  sought to garner information about the importance of engineering. S 7 , which reads “I want to be an engineer when I grow up”, explicitly inquired as to the students&#39; desire to pursue careers in engineering. Additional statements S 8 , S 9 , and S 10  were included in postassessment surveys. 
     Broadly examining the distributions in  FIGS. 9 , S 1  and S 4  show trends toward more agreeable perception after the activity. S 5  and S 6  stay relatively constant before and after the activity and S 7  shows a remarkable shift toward agreement in the postassessment. These trends are consistent with the pre-activity hypotheses that S 1 , S 2 , S 4 , S 5 , and S 7  show positive shift and S 6  shows a negative shift as a result of the activity. The seeming trend in S 3  is not part of the set hypotheses and is rather an observation of students&#39; engineering climate. 
     For a statistical perspective on this data, a nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test was performed to ascertain the statistical significance of the differences observed between the preassessment and the postassessment responses. This test is selected among others since it can be used to extract quantitative information from surveys whose answers are ordinal and non-numerical. The p-values with p&lt;0.05 are taken to be statistically significant, 0.05≦p&lt;0.10 to be weakly statistically significant, and p≧0.10 to be not statistically significant. The p-values computed for statements S 1 , S 2 , and S 4  to S 7  are respectively 0.077, 0.036, 0.077, 0.107, 0.036, and 0.077. This shows that the positive and negative shifts of responses to statements S 2  and S 6  respectively are statistically significant and the positive shift of responses to S 1 , S 4 , and S 7  are weakly statistically significant. Only the positive shift in S 5  shows no statistical significance, although its p-value is close to the threshold of 0.10. These results provide statistical support to the observed enthusiasm and excitement of students during the activity. 
     In addition, the postassessment included three statements S 8  to S 10  to ascertain the students&#39; perception of the fun-science activity itself. From the overwhelmingly positive response to these three questions, it was seen that the students had an interest in STEM fields, found engineering to be an accessible discipline, and had fun participating in the activity. 
     To allow less verbal students an opportunity to express what they learned from the activity, the postassessment included a drawing component in which the students were asked to draw their own robotic fish  10  using colored pencils. The various caudal fin  18 A shapes drawn evidenced that the exercise of modifying fin shape to test the influence on swimming informed the students&#39; design in their fish sketches. 
     V. Conclusions. In this activity illustrating the method of the present invention, the format, experience, and results of an interactive robotics-based outreach activity designed to ignite the interests of K-12 students in STEM fields and attract them towards careers in engineering have been exemplified. The activity engaged to local elementary school and middle school classes at the NYAQ. The participating students were given a guided tour of fish exhibits at the NYAQ with a short lecture on live fish swimming mechanisms, then asked to use their creativity and knowledge of fish to engineer and test caudal fins  18 A on robotic fish  10 . 
     The materials created for the activity comprise promotional brochure, a poster developed by two high school students, and biomimetic robotic fish  10  used during the interactive engineering phase. The robotic fish  10  included modular features which allowed participants to design and test their own biologically-inspired caudal fins  18 A. Using a remote control  50 , these robotic fish  10  provided a perfect platform to ignite interest in engineering activities. The impact of the activity on the student participants was assessed using self-report surveys administered to students before and after the activity. 
     Survey results showed a clear impact of the activity in fostering positive perceptions of engineering professions, increased interest in STEM careers, and openness of these careers to the students. This success can be attributed to the simultaneous orchestration of the following elements: i) use of visually attractive and interactive robots; ii) active involvement in authentic biologically-inspired engineering design; iii) integration of robotics and marine science; iv) informal setting for STEM learning at the NYAQ; v) participation of an age and gender diverse cadre of university and high school students; and vi) distribution and on-site presentation of educational material prepared by high school students bridging college with middle/elementary school learning. 
     Thus, the biomimetic robotic fish  10  finds additional applications as a tool for engineering outreach. In a series of bio-inspired design activities, students participated in observations of live marine animal locomotion and designed a custom caudal fin  18 A for the robotic fish  10  based on these observations. Due in part to the integration of the robotic fish  10  in this activity, students showed a significant increased interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines and found these professions to be more accessible as assessed by pre- and post-activity surveys. 
     One embodiment of the invention is a method for scientific education comprising using a remotely controlled biomimetic robotic fish  10  having modular features that allow interaction with the design of the robotic fish  10  based on observation of nature, and designing or creating the modular features. The movements of the remotely controlled biomimetic robotic fish  10  can be programmed using a computer. A user or student can design or create a graphical user interface for interacting with the remotely controlled biomimetic robotic fish  10 . The method can comprise remotely operating the robotic fish  10  in a water environment using a remote control device. 
     The modular features of the robotic fish  10  can comprise at least one caudal fin  18 A that is removably attached to the robotic fish  10 . A user or student can create a first design for a first one of the at least one caudal fin  18 A, attach the first caudal fin  18 A to the robotic fish  10 , and observe how the first caudal fin  18 A propels the robotic fish  10 . The user or student also can create a second design for a second one of the at least one caudal fin  18 A, replace the first caudal fin  18 A with the second caudal fin  18 A, and observe and compare to each other how each of the first caudal fin  18 A and the second caudal fin  18 A propels the robotic fish  10  in a water environment. 
     Alternatively, a user or student can create a first design for a first one of the at least one caudal fin  18 A, create a second design for a second one of the at least one caudal fin  18 A, attach the first caudal fin  18 A to a first one of the robotic fish  10 , attach the second caudal fin  18 A to a second one of the robotic fish  10 , and observe and compare to each other how the first caudal fin  18 A and the second caudal fin  18 A propel the respective robotic fish  10  in a water environment. 
     Another embodiment of the invention is a remotely controlled biomimetic robotic fish  10  for scientific and educational purposes, the remotely controlled biomimetic robotic fish  10  comprising modular features that allow interaction with the design of the robotic fish  10  based on observation of nature, wherein one of the modular features is a caudal fin  18 A. The robotic fish  10  can comprise a template  18 B for designing the caudal fin  18 A, and can further comprise a means for attaching  24  the caudal fin  18 A to the robotic fish  10 . Additionally, in certain embodiments, the invention comprises means for interfacing with a computer and for controlling the robotic fish  10  with a computer program. 
     The remotely controlled biomimetic robotic fish  10  preferably comprises a body section  12  comprising a body shell  20  and a body cap  22  for containing electronics  16  for operating the robotic fish  10 , a tail section  14  on which the caudal fin  18 A is removably attached, a motor  70  within the body section  12 , and means for controlling the motor/actuator within the body section  12 . The tail section  14  preferably is attached to the motor  70  whereby the motor  70  causes the tail section  14  to move in a manner simulating a natural tail motion of a fish. The motor  70  preferably is controlled to move the tail section  14  within a prescribed arc so as to propel and to steer the robotic fish  10  in a manner simulating a natural swimming motion of a fish. 
     Yet another embodiment of the invention is a system for scientific and educational purposes comprising a remotely controlled biomimetic robotic fish  10  and a remote control  50  for remotely controlling the biomimetic robotic fish  10 . The system can further comprise a computer featuring and/or comprising computer software for controlling the robotic fish  10  and the robotic fish  10  having the capacity to interface with the computer and to be controlled by the computer program. Preferably, the system is adjustable depending on the grade and knowledge of the user. 
     The robotic fish  10  of the system preferably comprises modular features, such as a caudal fin  18 A that is removably attached to the robotic fish  10 . The caudal fin  18 A can be designed using a template  18 B. A means for removably attaching  24  the caudal fin  18 A to the robotic fish  10  can be used to attach the caudal fin  18 A to the tail section  14  of the robotic fish  10 , such a means being any common means such as a clip, a male-female connection means, adhesives, and the like. 
     The system preferably further comprises a method for scientific education comprising using the remotely controlled biomimetic robotic fish  10  having modular features that allow interaction with the design of the robotic fish  10  based on observation of nature, and designing or creating the modular features, and the robotic fish  10  as disclosed above. 
     The foregoing detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the appended figures have been presented only for illustrative and descriptive purposes and are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiments were selected and described to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many variations can be made to the invention disclosed in this specification without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.