Neuromuscular and Kinematic Mechanisms of Avian Maneuvering Flight

鸟类机动飞行的神经肌肉和运动学机制

• 批准号: 0744056
• 负责人: Andrew Biewener
• 金额: $ 22.96万
• 依托单位: Harvard University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-09-15 至 2013-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0744056&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Neuromuscular; Kinematic; Mechanisms; Avian; Maneuvering

This project seeks to investigate the neuromuscular control of maneuvering flight in relation to wing and body movements and aerodynamic forces during turning in two bird species (pigeons and cockatiels). Understanding how birds control turning maneuvers will help to reveal how birds achieve stable movement, yet at the same time are highly maneuverable, compared to human-engineered fixed-wing aircraft. The project will therefore have broader relevance to the development of micro-air vehicles offering unmanned flight capability for surveillance and remote monitoring. The project also has relevance for understanding a critical component of a bird's flight ecology critical to their success. Past work has largely examined level flight at constant speeds, but little is known about other aspects of flight (ascent, descent, turning, take-off and landing). New techniques now enable direct measures of neuromuscular activity over a broader range of flight performance. These physiological and biomechanical techniques will measure muscle activity and length, synchronized with high-speed video recordings of body and wing movements. The project will have broad educational impact for students, as well as the public. Bird flight has captivated man for much of recorded history, motivating myths and inspiring the aeronautical engineering behind aircraft design. High-speed videos of bird maneuvering flight will have intrinsic appeal for revealing the complex and coordinated pattern of movement to the general public and students of all ages. The investigative team has worked with television studios (Discovery Channel, PBS) to bring the appeal and inspiration of biological flight to a broader audience. The investigative team also regularly hosts visits with school groups to observe its research on bird flight. The research will enhance the training of a PhD scientist and offer involvement of undergraduate and high school students who conduct research in the investigator's lab.

本项目旨在研究两种鸟类（鸽子和鹦鹉）在转弯过程中与翅膀和身体运动以及空气动力有关的机动飞行的神经肌肉控制。了解鸟类如何控制转弯机动将有助于揭示鸟类如何实现稳定的运动，同时与人类设计的固定翼飞机相比，它们具有高度的机动性。因此，该项目将与开发提供无人飞行能力的微型飞行器具有更广泛的相关性，用于监视和远程监测。该项目还与了解鸟类飞行生态学的一个关键组成部分有关，这对它们的成功至关重要。过去的工作主要是研究匀速水平飞行，但对飞行的其他方面（上升、下降、转弯、起飞和降落）知之甚少。新技术现在可以直接测量更大范围的飞行表现中的神经肌肉活动。这些生理和生物力学技术将测量肌肉活动和长度，与身体和翅膀运动的高速录像同步。该项目将对学生和公众产生广泛的教育影响。在有记载的历史中，鸟类飞行吸引了很多人，激发了神话，激发了飞机设计背后的航空工程。鸟类机动飞行的高速视频将有内在的吸引力，揭示复杂和协调的运动模式，以广大公众和学生的所有年龄。调查小组与电视工作室（探索频道，PBS）合作，将生物飞行的吸引力和灵感带给更广泛的观众。调查小组亦定期探访学校团体，观察他们对雀鸟飞行的研究。该研究将加强博士科学家的培训，并为在研究者实验室进行研究的本科生和高中生提供参与。