Bringing Attenborough’s Giant Sea Monster to Life
Jo Mieszkowski
Jo Mieszkowski
An aerospace engineering graduate, Dr Muscutt has always been inspired by nature – in particular evolution’s ability to “come up with designs that are close to optimum, at least within certain constraints.”
He dreamt of building a free-swimming, remote-controlled plesiosaur since before his PhD in biomechanics, which he completed at the University of Southampton[1] in 2017. Plesiosaurs used a tandem flipper propulsion system…This system is unique
Dr Muscutt
His PhD findings[2] settled a long-standing debate about how plesiosaurs used their flippers.
“We found that plesiosaurs used a tandem flipper propulsion system, meaning the four flippers work together to push them through water. This system is unique, because all other animals with flippers, like penguins and turtles, only use the front two for propulsion, and the back flippers or feet for steering.
“We studied this by building a tandem flapping flipper system mounted on a gantry, without a head or tail.”
The flipper system from Dr Muscutt’s PhD was a prototype of the fully formed, free-swimming robot that would later make the acquaintance of one of Britain’s best-loved documentary makers.
After his doctorate, Dr Muscutt began working at the Structural Dynamics group in Imperial’s Department of Mechanical Engineering[3], supporting researchers working on aeroplane engines and the structural effects of vibration.
Keen to continue bringing plesiosaurs to life in his spare time, he had trouble finding funding – until he met James Hogg, who had recently opened the Yorkshire Natural History Museum[4] in Sheffield, and who agreed to support the work.
Jo Mieszkowski
Jo Mieszkowski
Thus began Dr Muscutt’s journey to create his metre-long marine reptile, which is about the size of a newborn plesiosaur.
Pencil sketches became computer designs, which became physical realities thanks in part to the Structural Dynamics group’s 3D printer, whose day job includes printing components for jet engines.
There are quite a few things I’ve learned from working on jet engines that have gone straight into the design of the robot
Dr Muscutt
The plesiosaur’s body plates, its ‘skin’, were printed by James at the Yorkshire Natural History Museum.
Dr Muscutt’s work on jet engines at Imperial informed Flip’s design, too: “There are quite a few things I’ve learned from working on jet engines that have gone straight into the design of the robot plesiosaur, like the use of bolted flanges and split casings for bearings.”
With just one day to go until filming, the robot was ready for its moment of truth: a swimming lesson that would be broadcast to millions.
References
- ^ University of Southampton (www.southampton.ac.uk)
- ^ findings (royalsocietypublishing.org)
- ^ Department of Mechanical Engineering (www.imperial.ac.uk)
- ^ Yorkshire Natural History Museum (ynhm.org)