Propulsion and control of deformable bodies in an ideal fluid

Abstract

Motivated by considerations of shape changing propulsion of underwater robotic vehicles, this paper analyses the mechanics of deformable bodies operating in an ideal fluid. The application of methods from geometric mechanics results in a compact and insightful formulation of the problem. We develop an explicit formula for the fluid mechanical connection, in terms of the fluid potential function, for this class of systems. The connection can be used to analyze many issues in motion planning and control. The theory is illustrated by application to an amoeba-like device.