Sea Lion Flippers Could Inspire Super-Stealthy Submersibles

(relaxing music)

[Voiceover] We all know that sea lions are great at

balancing things on their noses.

But that's really selling them short.

Sea lions are in fact some of the ocean's most

graceful and deft swimmers. So much so that

scientists are picking apart their locomotion

to one day apply their secrets to underwater vehicles.

Sea lions are incredible swimmers.

But they're also weird swimmers.

Most fish flick their tales back and forth

to power themselves around. While other marine mammals

like whales and dolphins flick theirs up and down.

But that won't do for the sea lion.

It's actually pulling itself through the water with its

powerful front flippers as opposed to pushing with its tale.

And that grants it incredible maneuverability.

So scientists at George Washington University

are looking at how the sea lion is pulling this off.

Specifically, they've been building robo-flippers.

They do laser scans of sea lion flippers, then use

the data to 3D-print faithful replications in silicone.

By attaching the new flipper to a robotic arm,

the scientists can recreate sea lion swimming in a tank,

and measure things like drag and thrust.

They can also print alternate versions of a flipper.

For instance, one without those characteristic bumps along

the edge, to see how that affects swimming efficiency.

So what does this all have to do with underwater vehicles?

Well, currently these vehicles are a bit cumbersome.

If engineers can design new varieties based on

sea lion locomotion, underwater vehicles could get

a lot stealthier, and more maneuverable.

And that'd be real useful if you wanted to do something like

explore a watery minefield without blowing up your ride.

(relaxing music ends)