MIT Towing Tank

Research Videos

Dead Fish Swimming

A dead fish displays its ability to swim upstream, in the Karman wake of a D-shaped obstacle. (video from Lauder, Harvard)

Blind Cavefish

A Mexican Blind Cavefish (Astyanax mexicanus) navigates through a lego obstacle field. It displays its ability to avoid the obstacles, despite lack of sight.

Vorticity Shedding

Results from a particle image velocimetry (PIV) experiments shows the aftermath of a "vanishing foil" - a foil quickly retracted from the water.

Fish in Vortices

Results from PIV show the vortices in the Karman wake of an object, and a fish swimming between, and exploiting the energy of the wake.

Angled Foil Visualization

Visualization of the leading edge vortex on a foil with strong spanwise flow.

Straight Foil Visualization

Visualization of the leading edge vortex on a foil with no spanwise flow.

Classic Symmetric Motion

Used to generate thrust with an oscillating lift force (Lilypad simulation).

Asymmetric High Thrust

Used to generate thrust without any lift force. This motion profile is similar to how turtles flap their flippers when trying to maintain a constant depth in the water. (Lilypad simulation)

Used to generate large amounts of lift at the expense of thrust. Birds will flap their wings forwards and down while taking off, allowing them to get off the ground without first running to gain speed. (lilypad simulation)