Experiments on a floating underwater robot with a two-link manipulator

This article concerns experiments with a free-floating underwater robot with a two-dimensional, horizontal planar, two-link manipulator. Some dynamic models of underwater manipulators have been proposed, but only a few experiments have been carried out. Here, we derive a dynamic model for a free-floating underwater robot with a two-link manipulator, including the hydrodynamic forces, and validate the effectiveness of the model by simulation and experiment. We also show an experimental result using a resolved acceleration control method. These experimental results show the effectiveness the model and the control method. This work was presented in part at the 5th International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, January 26–28, 2000