Animal Locomotion

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The physical principles of swimming and flying in animals differ significantly from those of ships and airplanes, making the study of animal locomotion crucial in both fluid dynamics and biomimetics. This field seeks to replicate key performance aspects of living organisms. For instance, the fluid dynamic loads experienced by swimming fish suggest they have evolved efficient flow control methods, which could inform the design of robotic swimmers. However, there are contrasting views on the energetic efficiency of oscillatory propulsion in marine animals, necessitating a careful evaluation of forces and energy at realistic Reynolds numbers. An experimental approach is often the most suitable for addressing these questions, applicable to both flying and swimming animals. Researchers face similar challenges, whether studying tethered versus free locomotion or analyzing flow around robotic models compared to real animals. This work offers a comprehensive overview of the current state of experimental research on the physics of swimming and flying animals, highlighting both the pressing questions in contemporary research and the experimental techniques available to explore them.