ISEL has recently registered, with the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI), the design of a robot‑fish prototype developed by student Mário Nunes as part of his Master’s Final Project in Mechanical Engineering (MEM). The industrial property registration establishes a solid foundation for the future development of innovative solutions, promoting a better response to engineering challenges.

The constructed prototype stands out for its use of FDM 3D‑printing techniques, enabling a single‑piece structure and self‑assembly, with a tail of complex geometry. This bio‑inspired design, manufactured in thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), uses an optimized lattice mesh to provide lateral flexibility—essential for simulating natural swimming and reducing energy consumption during underwater locomotion.

The multidisciplinary project was supervised by faculty members Mário Mendes (DEM/ISEL) and Tiago Charters (DM/ISEL). Prototype testing was carried out at the ISEL Digital Workshop, at the Industrial Automation Laboratory of DEM/ISEL, and at the Construction Materials Laboratory of Civil Engineering at DEC/ISEL.