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Vortex phase matching as a strategy for schooling in robots and in fish

Author

Listed:
  • Liang Li

    (Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior
    University of Konstanz
    University of Konstanz
    College of Engineering, Peking University)

  • Máté Nagy

    (Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior
    University of Konstanz
    University of Konstanz
    Hungarian Academy of Sciences)

  • Jacob M. Graving

    (Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior
    University of Konstanz
    University of Konstanz)

  • Joseph Bak-Coleman

    (Princeton University)

  • Guangming Xie

    (College of Engineering, Peking University
    Peking University
    Peng Cheng Laboratory)

  • Iain D. Couzin

    (Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior
    University of Konstanz
    University of Konstanz)

Abstract

It has long been proposed that flying and swimming animals could exploit neighbour-induced flows. Despite this it is still not clear whether, and if so how, schooling fish coordinate their movement to benefit from the vortices shed by others. To address this we developed bio-mimetic fish-like robots which allow us to measure directly the energy consumption associated with swimming together in pairs (the most common natural configuration in schooling fish). We find that followers, in any relative position to a near-neighbour, could obtain hydrodynamic benefits if they exhibit a tailbeat phase difference that varies linearly with front-back distance, a strategy we term ‘vortex phase matching’. Experiments with pairs of freely-swimming fish reveal that followers exhibit this strategy, and that doing so requires neither a functioning visual nor lateral line system. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that fish typically, but not exclusively, use vortex phase matching to save energy.

Suggested Citation

  • Liang Li & Máté Nagy & Jacob M. Graving & Joseph Bak-Coleman & Guangming Xie & Iain D. Couzin, 2020. "Vortex phase matching as a strategy for schooling in robots and in fish," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-19086-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19086-0
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    Cited by:

    1. Zhu, Qianming & Ma, Qiyu & Qi, Yinke & Huang, Diangui, 2022. "Traveling wave turbine - An internal flow energy absorption mode based on the traveling wave motion," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 137-146.
    2. Ma, Qiyu & Ding, Li & Huang, Diangui, 2021. "A study on the influence of schooling patterns on the energy harvest of double undulatory airfoils," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 674-687.
    3. Qi, Mingliang & Ma, Qiyu & Huang, Diangui, 2022. "Influence of lengthways spacing and phase difference on traveling wave energy absorption characteristics of flexible airfoils in a diamond array," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 98-110.
    4. Joel W. Newbolt & Nickolas Lewis & Mathilde Bleu & Jiajie Wu & Christiana Mavroyiakoumou & Sophie Ramananarivo & Leif Ristroph, 2024. "Flow interactions lead to self-organized flight formations disrupted by self-amplifying waves," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    5. Nikolaj Horsevad & David Mateo & Robert E. Kooij & Alain Barrat & Roland Bouffanais, 2022. "Transition from simple to complex contagion in collective decision-making," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.

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