If you’ve been fortunate enough to see a manta ray glide through the water, you may have wondered how something so massive can move with such grace and efficiency. Engineers and scientists have been asking the same question – and they’re now turning those observations into remarkable technological breakthroughs.
Manta rays are masters of efficient movement. Their distinctive body shape and swimming technique have evolved over millions of years, resulting in a design that marine engineers can only dream of replicating… and that’s precisely what they’re trying to do.
Record-breaking robots inspired by manta ray locomotion
When manta rays swim, they create propulsion by flapping their large pectoral fins in a motion that resembles a bird’s wings. This movement is extremely energy-efficient, allowing mantas to travel long distances with minimal effort.
This efficiency hasn’t gone unnoticed by the scientific community. Researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of Virginia have been particularly interested in harnessing the biomechanics of manta rays to develop better underwater robots.
In 2022, NC State unveiled what they called “butterfly bots” – soft robots inspired by the swimming motion of manta rays. These robots could swim at speeds of 3.74 body lengths per second, which, at the time, was more than four times faster than previous swimming soft robots.
The secret to their success? The research team, led by Dr. Jie Yin, incorporated bistable wings – wings that can snap between two stable states, much like a hair clip. This design enabled a simplified structure that reduced weight while maximizing speed and efficiency.
The new generation of manta-inspired robots
Just two years later, in December 2024, the same research team returned with an even more advanced design, again inspired by the perpetual movement of manta rays. Their newest soft robot can reach speeds of 6.8 body lengths per second – nearly twice as fast as their previous model.
And while the original butterfly bot could only swim on the water’s surface, the new version can navigate vertically throughout the water column, diving down and rising as needed.
“We observed the swimming motion of manta rays and were able to mimic that behavior to control whether the robot swims toward the surface, swims downward, or maintains its position in the water column,” explains Jiacheng Guo, a Ph.D. student involved in the research.
What’s particularly impressive about these robots is their energy efficiency. Marine biologists and engineers utilize a concept known as the Strouhal number to assess the efficiency of swimming and flying animals. The most efficient swimmers in nature have Strouhal numbers between 0.2 and 0.4 – and both manta-inspired robots fall within this optimal range.
See the manta-inspired robot swim below:
Global engineering advances inspired by mantas
The NC State “butterfly bots” are just one example of manta-inspired engineering. Around the world, researchers are finding ways to apply manta ray biomechanics to solve complex engineering challenges.
The National University of Singapore developed the “MantaDroid” in 2017 – an underwater robot capable of swimming at speeds of 0.7 meters per second for up to 10 hours. The device was designed for underwater surveillance and marine biodiversity studies, with its endurance directly inspired by the energy-efficient locomotion of manta rays.
Even aerospace engineers have taken notice. The flexibility of manta pectoral fins has inspired innovations in aircraft wing design (e.g., see sketches for the Lilium Jet here), creating adaptive shapes that could improve fuel efficiency and maneuverability.
How manta feeding movements inspire engineering solutions
Scientists at the University of California took a different approach, focusing on the manta’s feeding mechanisms. They developed filtration systems inspired by how manta rays filter food through their gill rakers – technology that could eventually improve water purification systems and reduce energy consumption in industrial filtration.
And it’s not just about the way they process food – the movement patterns manta rays use when feeding are pretty distinctive and inspired scientists in different areas.
When feeding, manta rays often perform barrel rolls and loop-de-loops – movements that might seem unnecessarily complex. But these motions are actually ingenious solutions to a practical problem: how to continue collecting food while staying in the same general area.
These motion patterns have direct engineering applications; the maneuvers have inspired control algorithms for underwater robots that need to maintain position while collecting data or samples in current-heavy environments—a common challenge for environmental monitoring systems.
Engineers have also studied the swirling water patterns, known as vortices, created when mantas twirl. These studies help in designing vehicles that can make sharp turns both underwater and in the air while using minimal energy.
When mantas perform barrel rolls (spiraling while maintaining forward movement) or loop-to-loops (complete 360-degree vertical circles), they’re using principles that engineers now apply to:
- Environmental sampling robots that need to maintain their position in currents
- Search and rescue drones requiring tight maneuverability in confined spaces
- Autonomous ocean monitoring systems that must conserve energy while holding position
- Propulsion systems designed to change direction rapidly with minimal energy loss
All of this demonstrates how natural behaviors, such as how manta rays eat, can lead to innovative solutions for some of today’s most challenging tech problems.
Engineering Inspired by Other Ocean Creatures
Manta rays are just one of many marine creatures inspiring new ideas in engineering. This field, known as biomimicry, involves studying how nature solves problems and applying those solutions to create more effective tools, machines, and designs for people.
Shark skin has revolutionized swimsuit technology through Speedo’s Fastskin line, and the same principles have been applied to aircraft and even antibacterial surfaces through companies like Sharklet Technologies. The microscopic dermal denticles on shark skin reduce drag and prevent the attachment of microorganisms.
Octopus tentacles have inspired an entire field of soft robotics, with applications ranging from medical devices to adaptive gripping mechanisms. The European Commission’s OCTOPUS Project and Harvard’s Biodesign Lab are leaders in translating the octopus’s remarkable flexibility and control into technological solutions.
Jellyfish movement has influenced the design of propulsion systems for underwater vehicles and efficient pumping mechanisms, with research centers like Caltech and Virginia Tech leading the way in this area.
Even whale flippers, with their distinctive bumps (tubercles), have inspired more efficient wind turbine blade designs, as seen in companies like WhalePower Corporation.
What makes manta rays particularly valuable for biomimicry is their combination of speed, efficiency, maneuverability, and unique feeding behaviors, offering engineers multiple systems to study and adapt.
How Mantas Inspire Art and Design
Engineering isn’t the only field drawing inspiration from manta rays. Artists and creators are also inspired by their beauty and the way they move.
A great example of this is LEGO designer Berthil van Beek. After witnessing a manta ray executing a perfect barrel roll during a night swim in Kona, Hawaii, he was inspired to create a functional kinetic sculpture. His LEGO manta ray features moving pectoral fins, a moving tail, and even a light-up heartbeat.
The manta that inspired his creation was Amanda Ray, a known resident of the Kona coast featured in our manta ray library.
The future of manta-inspired engineering
Manta rays have a lot to teach us. Their efficient movement and maneuverability enable scientists to design technology that uses less energy and navigates complex environments with ease.
In the future, manta-inspired tech might help us create things like:
- Low-energy underwater exploration vehicles for ocean research
- Environmental monitoring systems that can operate for extended periods with minimal maintenance
- Search and rescue tools that can get through tight or complicated underwater spaces
- Ocean research equipment that can adjust to changing conditions
- Advanced filtration systems based on manta feeding mechanisms
If you are lucky enough to see a manta ray gliding and twirling through the water, remember you’re watching millions of years of evolutionary engineering at work – and the inspiration for the next generation of underwater robotics.
Want to witness these engineering marvels in person? Join us for a moonlight manta swim and experience their grace and efficiency firsthand.
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