Deciphering the Influence of Unsteady Aerodynamics on Mechanosensation and Olfaction in Insect Flight
Abstract
Compared to artificial flying robots, insects exhibit extraordinary capabilities in perceiving and navigating within unstructured dynamic environments using their complex distributed sensory systems. They can sense odorant plumes emitting from sources of their interest, and use their highly efficient flapping-wing mechanism to follow odor plumes, and track down odor sources. In this context, their flapping wings go beyond maintaining flight stability by interpreting and responding to mechanical stimuli. The wings also enhance its olfactory function to locate food, mates, and avoid danger. However, the flow physics underlying this odor-tracking behavior is still unclear due to fast flapping motion, spatiotemporal structures of odor plume, and unpredictable locomotion. Limited success has been achieved in accessing the impact of unsteady aerodynamics on odorant transport during odor-guided aeronautic navigation. In this YIP project, the PI aims to establish a physics-driven understanding of the odor-tracking flapping flight in nature and unravel how insects balance aerodynamic performance with olfactory sensitivity. The specific research objectives are to- 1) characterize the impact of unsteady aerodynamics on wing mechanosensation; 2) determine the influence of unsteady flow on olfaction; 3) elucidate the mechanisms of odor-guided flapping flight by integrating mechanical and odorant stimulus. This endeavor will open up a rich, new research area that will substantially advance our understanding of the odor-tracking capability of animal navigation and lead to transformative advancements in unmanned aerial devices that will have the potential to greatly impact national security equipment and industrial applications for chemical disaster management, drug trafficking detection, and navigation in GPSdenied indoor environments. By examining the unsteady flow generated by the biological wings, this project will uncover the fundamental fluid dynamic principles to construct novel bio-inspired algorithms for future U.S. Air Force aerial vehicles, endowing them with biological-level odor tracking capabilities
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Feb 06, 2025
- Source ID
- FA95502410122
Entities
People
- Xue Qin
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- United States Air Force
- Villanova University