OPTIMAL CONTROL OF MULTILINK SYSTEMS IN A FLUID
Felix L. Chernousko
Locomotion of a mechanical system consisting of a main body and one of 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.