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Abstract

This paper describes the use of a three-motor driven mechanical pectoral fin as a new device for maneuvering and stabilizing an underwater vehicle. The mechanical pectoral fin consists of three servomotors generating feathering, rowing, and flapping motions. The load properties are analyzed experimentally. The mechanical pectoral fin can generate a control load in three dimensions. The effect of flexibility of the fin on the load is also investigated experimentally.
This research article was submitted for the special issue on Animal locomotion: The hydrodynamics of swimming (Vol. 43, No. 5).

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