Modeling, Testing and Control of an Underwater
Propulsion System Utilizing Oscillating Surfaces
Professor John F. Gardner
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The Pennsylvania State University
While nature provides nearly countless examples of creatures capable of
high speed and extreme maneuverability, man-made attempts at aquatic
motion seems plodding at best. Researchers have indicated that
propulsion systems that are more biomimetic might lead to higher
performance for aquatic vehicles. This talk will deal with issues in
modeling the propulsive effort in tursiops turncatus, the Atlantic
Bottlenose Dolphin, and explore the potential for this approach for
man-made vehicles. The talk will present an innovative approach to
modeling dolphin and fish propulsion at low speeds as well as the
transition between low and high speed behaviors in dolphins and fish.
Finally, the use of these models for the design and control of craft
using this approach to propulsion will be explored.