ARTICULATING WALL WAVE GENERATION SYSTEM AND RELATED METHODS

1 . An articulating wall wave generation system for forming surfable waves, the articulating wall wave generation system, comprising:

a panel actuating assembly comprising:

an actuator, wherein the actuator comprises:

an actuator body; and

a linkage arm; and

a panel connected to the actuator, wherein the linkage arm of the actuator extends between the panel and the actuator body;

wherein activation of the actuator causes movement of the panel to assist with forming a wave in a fluid volume.

2 . The articulating wall wave generation system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid volume is contained in a fluid container comprising one or more of a basin, a pool, and a channel, and wherein the wave is a surfable wave.

3 . The articulating wall wave generation system of claim 2 , wherein the panel actuating assembly further comprises an actuation mechanism that actuates the actuator, the actuation mechanism causing the actuator body to move thereby causing the panel to move for assisting with forming the surfable wave.

4 . The articulating wall wave generation system of claim 3 , wherein the actuator body is configured to rotate upon actuation of the actuator by the actuation mechanism.

5 . The articulating wall wave generation system of claim 3 , wherein the actuator body is configured to linearly translate upon actuation of the actuator by the actuation mechanism.

6 . The articulating wall wave generation system of claim 4 , wherein the linkage arm is pivotably coupled to the actuator body and the panel such that rotation of the actuator body causes one or more of pivoting and translating of the panel.

7 . The articulating wall wave generation system of claim 6 , wherein the panel is an active panel and the articulating wall wave generation system further comprises a connecting panel pivotably coupled to the active panel, the connecting panel configured to pivot and/or translate as a result of pivoting and/or translating of the active panel.

8 . The articulating wall wave generation system of claim 7 , wherein pivoting and/or translating of the active panel and the connecting panel assists with forming the surfable wave in the fluid container.

9 . The articulating wall wave generation system of claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of the panel actuating assemblies, the plurality of panels of the plurality of panel actuating assemblies being connected in a series, each panel actuating assembly of the plurality of panel actuating assemblies being in communication with a control system and an actuation mechanism for allowing individual actuation of each panel actuating assembly of the plurality of panel actuating assemblies to form an articulating wall.

10 . The articulating wall wave generation system of claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of the panel actuating assemblies and a plurality of connecting panels, each of the connecting panels being coupled to a first panel actuation assembly of the plurality of actuating assemblies and a second panel actuation assembly of the plurality of actuation assemblies, each of the first panel actuation assembly and the second actuation assembly being in communication with a control system and an actuation mechanism for allowing individual actuation of the first panel actuation assembly and the second panel actuation assembly to form an articulating wall.

11 . The articulating wall wave generation system of claim 9 , wherein the articulating wall comprises the plurality of panels forming a curved shaped wall portion that travels along a length of the articulating wall for forming a surfable wave in the fluid container.

12 . The articulating wall wave generation system of claim 10 , wherein the articulating wall comprises one or more of the active panel and the connecting panel forming a curved shaped wall portion that travels along a length of the articulating wall for forming a surfable wave in the fluid container.

13 . The articulating wall wave generation system of claim 4 , wherein the actuation mechanism comprises one or more drive units that are configured to rotate the actuator body of each panel actuation assembly of the plurality of panel actuation assemblies.

14 . The articulating wall wave generation system of claim 12 , wherein the articulating wall wave generation system further comprises a controller configured to control the actuation mechanism.

15 . The articulating wall wave generation system of claim 12 , further comprising a support structure coupled to one or more of the actuation mechanism and the actuator, the support structure being secured to a part of the fluid container.

16 . The articulating wall wave generation system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator body comprises:

a central portion; and

an actuator arm that extends outward from the central portion;

wherein the actuator arm extends between the central portion and the linkage arm.

17 . The articulating wall wave generation system of claim 16 , wherein the actuator further comprises:

an actuator joint pivotably connecting the actuator arm and the linkage arm.

18 . The articulating wall wave generation system of claim 17 , wherein the panel comprises a panel joint, wherein the panel joint is operably coupled to the actuator.

19 . The articulating wall wave generation system of claim 18 , wherein the panel joint allows the linkage arm to pivot relative to a back surface of the panel.

20 - 30 . (canceled)

31 . The articulating wall wave generation system of claim 1 , wherein the articulating wall wave generation system comprises a plurality of panels forming an articulating wall, and wherein each of the panels comprise an active panel.

32 - 78 . (canceled)