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An assembly for an underwater vehicle that includes a motor, a duct assembly, and an actuator. The duct assembly includes a duct and a propeller mounted within the duct, where the propeller is driven by the motor. The actuator is connected to the duct assembly and the vehicle. The actuator pivots th

An assembly for an underwater vehicle that includes a motor, a duct assembly, and an actuator. The duct assembly includes a duct and a propeller mounted within the duct, where the propeller is driven by the motor. The actuator is connected to the duct assembly and the vehicle. The actuator pivots the duct assembly with respect to the vehicle. Alternatively, the assembly includes a motor, a duct having a generally cylindrical shape oriented about a longitudinal axis, and a propeller having an axis of rotation. The propeller is mounted within the duct and is driven by the motor. The propeller and the duct are connected such that the axis of rotation and the longitudinal axis have a fixed orientation with respect to one another. The assembly includes a configuration for changing an orientation of the axis of rotation and the longitudinal axis with respect to the vehicle.

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An assembly for an underwater vehicle that includes a motor, a duct assembly, and an actuator. The duct assembly includes a duct and a propeller mounted within the duct, where the propeller is driven by the motor. The actuator is connected to the duct assembly and the vehicle. The actuator pivots th

An assembly for an underwater vehicle that includes a motor, a duct assembly, and an actuator. The duct assembly includes a duct and a propeller mounted within the duct, where the propeller is driven by the motor. The actuator is connected to the duct assembly and the vehicle. The actuator pivots the duct assembly with respect to the vehicle. Alternatively, the assembly includes a motor, a duct having a generally cylindrical shape oriented about a longitudinal axis, and a propeller having an axis of rotation. The propeller is mounted within the duct and is driven by the motor. The propeller and the duct are connected such that the axis of rotation and the longitudinal axis have a fixed orientation with respect to one another. The assembly includes a configuration for changing an orientation of the axis of rotation and the longitudinal axis with respect to the vehicle. l surface; supporting the cylindrical article from the support surface by a first pair of bearings contacting the support surface and the cylindrical surface adjacent to its first end, with one bearing of the first pair of bearings on either side of a projection of the cylindrical axis onto the support surface, and a second pair of bearings contacting the support surface and the cylindrical surface adjacent to its second end, with one bearing of the second pair of bearings on either side of the projection of the cylindrical axis onto the support surface; and positioning the cylindrical article by moving at least one of the bearings relative to the cylindrical article, wherein the step of positioning includes the steps of providing an actuator system that moves the bearings, and providing a feedback control system comprising a sensor having as a sensor output an indication of a position of the cylindrical article, and a controller having the sensor output as an input and a command signal to the actuator system as an output. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing a cylindrical article includes the step of providing a component of an optical system as the cylindrical article. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of supporting includes the step of furnishing bearings that are ball bearings. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing a support surface includes the step of providing a magnetized support surface, and wherein the step of supporting the article includes the step of providing the bearings made of a ferromagnetic material. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of supporting includes the step of providing four magnetized bearings, and wherein the step of providing a support surface includes the step of providing a ferromagnetic support surface. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of supporting includes the step of applying a force generated by an electromagnet to the cylindrical article. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing a support surface includes the step of forming a first linear constraint in the support surface, and forming a second linear constraint in the support surface parallel to the first linear constraint, and wherein the step of supporting the cylindrical article includes the step of placing the first pair of bearings into the first linear constraint, and placing the second pair of bearings into the second linear constraint. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of positioning includes the step of moving the bearings of both pairs on the support surface and in a direction generally perpendicular to the projection of the cylindrical axis onto the support surface, so that a spacing between the bearings of each pair changes by the same amount. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of positioning includes the step of moving the bearings of both pairs on the support surface and in a direction generally perpendicular to the projection of the cylindrical axis onto the support surface, so that a spacing between the bearings of each pair changes by a different amount. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of positioning includes the step of moving the bearings of both pairs on the support surface and in a direction generally perpendicular to the projection of the cylindrical axis onto the support surface, so that a spacing between the bearings of each pair is unchanged. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of positioning includes the step of moving the bearings of one pair on the support surface generally perpendicular to the projection of the cylindrical axis onto the support surface, so that a spacing between the bearings of each pair is unchanged. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of positioning includes the step of rotating the cylindrical article about the cylindrical axis on the bearings. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of po sitioning includes the step of applying a biasing force to the cylindrical article in a direction perpendicular to and toward the support surface. 14. The method of claim 1, including an additional step, after the step of positioning, of fixing the cylindrical article relative to the support surface. 15. A method for positioning a cylindrical article, comprising the steps of providing a cylindrical article having a cylindrical axis, a cylindrical surface, a first end of the cylindrical surface, and a second end of the cylindrical surface; providing a support surface having a first linear constraint in the support surface, and a second linear constraint in the support surface parallel to the first linear constraint; supporting the cylindrical article from the support surface by a first pair of ball bearings that roll in the first linear constraint, the first pair of ball bearings contacting the cylindrical surface adjacent to its first end, with one ball bearing of the first pair of ball bearings on either side of a projection of the cylindrical axis onto the support surface, and a second pair of ball bearings that roll in the second linear constraint, the second pair of ball bearings contacting the cylindrical surface adjacent to its second end, with one ball bearing of the second pair of ball bearings on either side of the projection of the cylindrical axis onto the support surface; and positioning the cylindrical article by moving at least one of the ball bearings relative to the cylindrical article, the step of positioning including the steps of providing an actuator system that moves the ball bearings, providing a feedback control system comprising a sensor having as a sensor output an indication of a position of the cylindrical article, and a controller having the sensor output as an input and a command signal to the actuator system as an output, and using the actuator system to move the ball bearings responsive to the feedback control system until a desired position of the cylindrical article is achieved. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of providing a cylindrical article includes the step of providing a component of an optical system as the cylindrical article. 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of positioning includes the step of applying a biasing force to the cylindrical article in a direction perpendicular to and toward the support surface. 18. The method of claim 15, including an additional step, after the step of positioning, of fixing the cylindrical article relative to the support surface. 19. A method for positioning a cylindrical article, comprising the steps of providing a support surface; providing a cylindrical article having a cylindrical axis, a cylindrical surface, a first end of the cylindrical surface, and a second end of the cylindrical surface; supporting the cylindrical article from the support surface by a first pair of ball bearings contacting the support surface and the cylindrical surface adjacent to its first end, with one ball bearing of the first pair of ball bearings on either side of a projection of the cylindrical axis onto the support surface, and second pair of ball bearings contacting the support surface and the cylindrical surface adjacent to its second end, with one ball bearing of the second pair of ball bearings on either side of the projection of the cylindrical axis onto the support surface; and positioning the cylindrical article by moving at least one of the ball bearings relative to the cylindrical article. 20. A method for positioning a cylindrical article, comprising the steps of providing a magnetized support surface; providing a cylindrical article having a cylindrical axis, a cylindrical surface, a first end of the cylindrical surface, and a second end of the cylindrical surface; supporting the cylindrical article from the support surface by a first pair of ferromagnetic bearings con tacting the support surface and the cylindrical surface adjacent to its first end, with one bearing of the first pair of bearings on either side of a projection of the cylindrical axis onto the support surface, and a second pair of ferromagnetic bearings contacting the support surface and the cylindrical surface adjacent to its second end, with one bearing of the second pair of bearings on either side of the projection of the cylindrical axis onto the support surface; and positioning the cylindrical article by moving at least one of the bearings relative to the cylindrical article. 21. A method for positioning a cylindrical article, comprising the steps of providing a ferromagnetic support surface; providing a cylindrical article having a cylindrical axis, a cylindrical surface, a first end of the cylindrical surface, and a second end of the cylindrical surface; supporting the cylindrical article from the support surface by first pair of magnetized bearings contacting the support surface and the cylindrical surface adjacent to its first end, with one bearing of the first pair of bearings on either side of a projection of the cylindrical axis onto the support surface, and a second pair of magnetized bearings contacting the support surface and the cylindrical surface adjacent to its second end, with one bearing of the second pair of bearings on either side of the projection of the cylindrical axis onto the support surface; and positioning the cylindrical article by moving at least one of the bearings relative to the cylindrical article. 22. A method for positioning a cylindrical article, comprising the steps of providing a support surface; providing a cylindrical article having a cylindrical axis, a cylindrical surface, a first end of the cylindrical surface, and a second end of the cylindrical surface; supporting the cylindrical article from the support surface by a first pair of bearings contacting the support surface and the cylindrical surface adjacent to its first end, with one bearing of the first pair of bearings on either side of a projection of the cylindrical axis onto the support surface, and a second pair of bearings contacting the support surface and the cylindrical surface adjacent to its second end, with one bearing of the second pair of bearings on either side of the projection of the cylindrical axis onto the support surface, wherein the step of supporting includes the step of applying a force generated by an electromagnet to the cylindrical article; and positioning the cylindrical article by moving at least one of the bearings relative to the cylindrical article. 23. A method for positioning a cylindrical article, comprising the steps of providing a support surface, wherein the step of providing the support surface includes the steps of forming a first linear constraint in the support surface, and forming a second linear constraint in the support surface parallel to the first linear constraint; providing a cylindrical article having a cylindrical axis, a cylindrical surface, a first end of the cylindrical surface, and a second end of the cylindrical surface; supporting the cylindrical article from the support surface by a first pair of bearings contacting the support surface and the cylindrical surface adjacent to its first end, with one bearing of the first pair of bearings on either side of a projection of the cylindrical axis onto the support surface, wherein the first pair of bearings are placed into the first linear constraint, and a second pair of bearings contacting the support surface and the cylindrical surface adjacent to its second end, with one bearing of the second pair of bearings on either side of the projection of the cylindrical axis onto the support surface, wherein the second pair of bearings are placed into the second linear constraint; and positioning the cylindrical article by moving at least one of the bearings relative to the cylindrical article