DENTON (UNT), Texas — To learn how groups of autonomous underwater vehicles could move more efficiently, researchers are turning to one of the ocean’s more unique denizens: squid.

“There’s not really a lot of other animals in the ocean, or otherwise, that use a jet propulsion system to move,” said Paul Krueger, dean of the College of Engineering and professor of mechanical engineering. “Knowing how they interact can impact how we build underwater autonomous systems for things like ocean exploration or harbor security.”

While researchers have extensively studied how fish move when schooling, relatively little is known about squid. The multi-institutional team has spent nearly two decades studying squid locomotion. Now they’re taking their research a step further by investigating how the animals position themselves and coordinate when in groups. The team, led by Old Dominion University, includes Krueger, another engineer from Southern Methodist University and two biologists at Old Dominion University and Franklin & Marshall College.

“We started out by asking if squid are efficient movers or not. Then, how does that change as they grow,” Krueger said. “Now, we want to know how that locomotion is coordinated when they’re in a group. How do they communicate information to one another?”

Squid use a jet-propulsion system and flexible fins to maneuver through the water. They also have small hairs along their body that sense changes in the flow of water around them. The team will investigate if squid consistently position themselves in certain ways when in a group, and if those formations affect their swimming efficiency. They also want to know if squid can sense what their neighbors are doing based on changes in the water flow.

“Think about how when you’re driving down a highway and your car handles differently when you’re behind a large truck than if you’re by yourself,” Krueger said. “If they’re in a group, the squid behind will have a different experience than the one in front. Do they swim differently? Are there efficiency gains or losses?”

To answer those questions, the team will observe the squid in a lab environment and in their native habitats along the East Coast. They’ll place the squid inside of a water tunnel, which is like a treadmill that constantly pumps water past aquatic creatures as they swim in place. They’ll use cameras to record the squid’s movements and algorithms to process the water flow information. The project is expected to generate large amounts of video and motion data.

“The data analysis will be very hands-on, which is where our students can help,” Krueger said. “Animals are animals and they do what they want, so while we can automate some analysis, we’ll still have to manually trace where the squid are and where their fins are as they move.”

Students from all levels at the involved institutions will be able to help with the project and data analysis. They’ll be able to become more familiar with the tools used to track the squid and the systems used to measure fluid motion. Krueger also hopes that the knowledge from this project can be adapted into lessons at UNT summer camps to give younger campers a new experience in both biology and engineering.

“Fundamentally, this project is about understanding why squid do what they do, which helps us understand how they fit in the natural environment,” Krueger said. “Then, in engineering, we can use that knowledge to find the best ways for our underwater systems to interact, remain efficient and achieve their mission.”