Bio-Inspired Compliant Musculoskeletal Actuation for Wings and Fins of Miniature Robotic Systems
Abstract
Insects are spectacular flyers and display exceptional maneuverability made possible through nimble wing actuation and articulation. Recent research has revealed that the kinematics of the flapping wing in insects is not fully governed by active control and instead passive dynamics play an important role on the overall performance. This project focused on seeking to understand the effects of passive pitch dynamics on the kinematics and performance of flapping wings through a combination of experimental and numerical means. In chapter 2 we report on a high-fidelity numerical framework developed to study passively pitching flapping wings using an immersed boundary-lattice Boltzmann method (IB-LBM). In this chapter we also discuss the results from our investigation of passively pitching of tandem rectangular wings in free hovering condition. As insect wings vary widely in shape, in Chapter 3 we present results on a parametric study performed to investigate the effects of wing shape and structural properties of the hinge on aerodynamics performance. Finally in Chapter 4, the results from an experimental study on the effects of external fluid mechanic perturbations on the performance of passively pitching wings at low Reynolds numbers is presented.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 11, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1226622
Entities
People
- Sridhar Ravi
Organizations
- University of New South Wales