CAREER: Theory and Practices of Flapping Flight: From Biological to Robotic Insects

摘要这项研究包括在昆虫和鸟类拍打飞行的几个研究主题上的新尝试。本研究的目标是：a)定量研究在昆虫和鸟类身上观察到的飞行轨迹的可行性和稳定性；b)探索导致它们飞行稳定性和性能差异的基本原理，以便为扑翼微型飞行器的设计提供方法和指南；以及c)设计和制造具有仿生传感器的能够稳定和机动飞行的扑翼微型飞行器。我们将利用我们之前对非线性系统理论的研究，包括谐波平衡和分叉方法，对扑翼飞行进行理论和数学建模。我们将使用果蝇的自由飞行测量和当代制造的微机械飞行昆虫(MFI)的实验数据来验证我们的分析。基于我们的分析，我们将制定指导方针，以帮助设计和制造未来的微型喷气推进器和扑翼微型飞行器，有能力确保飞行器的飞行可行性和稳定性。从这项研究得出的理论将提供对昆虫和鸟类固有的飞行稳定性和机动性的新理解，并有望开发一种新的理论，描述在自然界中观察到的不同飞行现象的基本原理。教育活动包括将研究材料纳入研究生和本科生课程，开发的研究和教育活动将通过特拉华大学的女孩设计和发现夏令营，推广到特拉华州的K-12学生和教师以及代表不足的妇女群体。该项目的另一个更广泛的影响将是创建一个基于互联网的扑动飞行步态模拟器，学生和研究人员可以使用它来模拟和可视化不同昆虫和鸟类的真实飞行模式，给出它们的形态数据。

AbstractThis research encompasses novel attempts in several research topics on flapping flight in insects and birds. The goal of this research is to a) quantitatively study the flight trajectory feasibility and stability observed in insects and birds; b) investigate the underlying principles that cause their flight stability and performance differences in order to develop a methodology and guideline for designing flapping wing micro-aerial vehicles; and c) design and fabricate flapping wing micro-aerial vehicles capable of stable and maneuverable flight with biomimetic sensors. Our previous study on the theory of nonlinear systems including harmonic balance and bifurcation methods will be utilized to conduct theoretical and mathematical modeling of flapping flight. We will verify our analysis using the free-flight measurements on the fruit fly and the experimental data from the current generation of fabricated Micromechanical Flying Insects (MFIs). Based on our analysis, we will develop guidelines to aid the design and fabrication of future MFIs and flapping wing micro-aerial vehicle in general, with the capability to ensure the flight feasibility and stability of the vehicle.The theories developed from this research will provide new understanding of the inherent flight stability and maneuverability present in insects and birds, and hopefully will lead to developing a new theory describing the underlying principles of the different flight phenomena observed in nature.The educational activities include incorporating research materials into graduate and undergraduate curricula, and the developed research and educational activities will be outreached to the K-12 students and teachers as well as underrepresented and women groups in Delaware through the University of Delaware's Design and Discovery summer camp for girls. Another broader impact of this program will be to create an Internet-based flapping flight gait simulator accessible to students and researchers to simulate and visualize realistic flight patterns of different insects and birds, given their morphological data.