OPTIMAL CONTROL OF
MULTILINK SYSTEMS IN A FLUID
Felix L. Chernousko
Locomotion of a mechanical system consisting of the main body and one or two links attached to it by cylindrical joints is considered. The system moves in a resistive fluid and is controlled by periodic angular oscillations of the links relative to the main body. The resistance force acting upon each body is a quadratic function of its velocity. Under certain assumptions, a nonlinear equation of motion is derived and simplified. The optimal control of oscillations is found that corresponds to the maximal average locomotion speed.
CYBERNETICS AND PHYSICS, VOL. 1, NO. 1, 2012, 17-21.