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The paddles are pulled counter-clockwise, using a muscle-like mechanism that attaches between the distal part of the paddle, and the inner part of the paddle next to it, similar to the arrow in the image below, and the hypothesis is that it would cause the device to rotate in a clockwise direction. What are some thoughts on the hypothesis?

3d model image stationary

slowly rotating image

rapidly rotating image

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    $\begingroup$ Seems like it might rotate, but not nearly as fast as if you diverted the energy that you're putting into the muscles directly into making it rotate via some other mechanism... What's the function of this? Mixing? Art? $\endgroup$
    – Jonathan R Swift
    Commented Jul 10, 2018 at 12:07
  • $\begingroup$ Plus the motion would be very jerky, each extension creating a bit of counter-rotation, slower/shorter than the one at contraction; it would definitely not gain any considerable rotary speed as the strength of the counter-rotation would increase with rotary speed, putting a natural limit regardless of how fast and hard you wiggle the paddles. $\endgroup$
    – SF.
    Commented Jul 10, 2018 at 13:23
  • $\begingroup$ water will not allow it to rotate a full 360 degrees, because of how a wave and thrust of water is nearer to the beach you will have different forms of inertia and they will always be different at other times in the day. you need to design a device to move with the wave and force and then return to home position. $\endgroup$
    – DeerSpotter
    Commented Jul 10, 2018 at 14:07

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The way the cylinders are set up ( all parallel to vertical axis) it seems it will more jerk back and forth rather than rotating. However if you install the cylinders in a slanting axis so that they roughly follows a spiral around the center, then it would become similar to a pump and would turn and gently pump the water down along the central axis.

Or if you hold it laying flat in a stream of water it would turn into a turbine and generate power.

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