A robotic platform is described that will be used to study the hydrodynamic performance—forces and flowfields—of the swimming California sea lion. The robot is a model of the animal's foreflipper that is actuated by motors to replicate the motion of its propulsive stroke (the 'clap').
Kulkarni, A. A., Patel, R. K., Friedman, C., Leftwich, M. C. A Robotic Platform to Study the Foreflipper of the California Sea Lion. J. Vis. Exp. (119), e54909, doi:10.3791/54909 (2017).