Bio-inspired engineering and design for naval applications
Abstract
In our modern world we look more and more to nature for inspiration to solve problems in propulsion, maneuvering, sensing, actuation , signal processing, materials design and integration of structures with the marine environment. The proposed collaboration between Brown University and NUWC will leverage our respective expertise to focus on understanding, characterization and modelling natural systems and on using that knowledge to design bioinspired engineered systems of interest to Naval applications. One axis of the rese arch project will be on mobility, maneuverability and agility, and will focus on locomotion and mechanics (e.g., fin-based swimming, flapping flight and legged locomotion), modalities of distributed sensing and processing (visual, echolocation, lateral-line and vi brissae imaging and cognitive-neural processing, neuroscience and machine learning), and distributed actuation (neural activation and muscle mechanics, hard and soft robotics). A second axis of the research project will be the understanding, design and manufact ure of biologically-inspired materials and their interaction with the marine environment, utilizing marine-specific additive manufac turing opportunities. This focus area will include, for example, the use of compliant structures interacting with fluid flows (fins, flexible bodies), surface hydrophobicity and its role in air-water interactions (water entry, hydrodynamic drag reduction, etc.) an d the mechanics of cellular composite materials (shells, bones, sponges, etc.). These two axes are complementary, not exclusive, an d we will employ the full range of experimental, analytical and computational tools to advance our fundamental understanding of natu ral systems and to use that knowledge to develop novel bio-inspired applications with Marine and Naval relevance. Work performed und er this proposal is Fundamental Research, and is to develop technology for both military and civil application.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 20, 2021
- Source ID
- N000142112816
Entities
People
- Kenneth S. Breuer
Organizations
- Brown University
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy