Wake absorber

An aquatic vehicle in combination with a wake modifier, the combination comprising:

• an aquatic vehicle;
• a propulsor mounted on said aquatic vehicle producing tonal signals and operative to propel said aquatic vehicle through a water medium;
• a wake modifier mounted on said aquatic vehicle aft of said propulsor, said wake modifier comprising an artificial muscle surface adapted to be impinged upon by a wake created by said propulsor, said wake modifier further comprising a plurality of electrodes mounted on said artificial muscle surface wherein pressure of the wake upon said artificial muscle surface exercises a bending force on said artificial muscle surface, which bending force creates energy which is recovered by said plurality of electrodes as electrical power, energy removed from said artificial muscle surface by said plurality of electrodes weakening the wake and rendering the wake less pronounced visually and acoustically;
• and
• a power source in communication with said plurality of electrodes wherein a signal selectively transmitted from said power source to said plurality of electrodes operates to cause said artificial muscle surface to deflect so as to alter flow of the wake and thereby modify tonal signals of said propulsor.

A wake detector comprising:

• an artificial muscle surface of an electro-active polymeric material, the surface being adapted to be impinged upon by a wake created by a propulsor of an aquatic vehicle;
• and
• a plurality of electrodes mounted on said artificial muscle surface and in contact therewith;
• wherein pressure exerted by a wake upon said artificial muscle surface exercises a bending force on said artificial muscle surface, which bending force creates energy that is recovered by said plurality of electrodes as electrical power and transmitted across insulated electrical leads to a monitor.