NSF Workshop on Biosensor and Bioactuator Resarch

Xinyan DengBio-Robotics Laboratory

Department of Mechanical EngineeringUniversity of Delaware

http://research.me.udel.edu/deng

Characteristics of Dragonfly Flight (videos)

• Horizontal Hovering:– Swift to change flight modes– Intercept prey in air

• Unique flight modes:– Fly backwards– Fly sideways– Gliding flight

• Flight Data:– 90km/h (vel); 130m/s^2 (acc);– Max thrust: 13 times body weight– 180 deg in 3 wingbeats (~2000deg/s)– 20~90 Hz

Current Research (videos)

Effect of Forward Speed on Lift in HindwingWithout interactionIndividual flapping

Under interaction

Effect of Phase Difference on Lift in Hingwing

0Ph.

1/2 cycle Ph.

without forewing

1/4 cycle Ph.

Effect of Wing Flexibility

b(r)

Rotation axis

r

R

Swing duration 1.5second

Flapping angle 180degree

Attack angle-9,-4.5,0,

…,85.5,90

Material Properties

Experimental Results

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

1.6

Cl

Cd

Polymer-A-Cl Polymer-B-Cl Polymer-C-Cl Polymer-D-Cl Polymer-E-Cl Polyes0.001-Cl Polyes0.002-Cl Polyes0.003-Cl Polyes0.004-Cl Polyes0.005-Cl Mylar0.003-Cl Mylar0.005-Cl Mylar0.007-Cl Polycarb0.01-Cl Polycarb0.015-Cl Polycarb0.02-Cl PET-G0.02-Cl PET-G0.06-Cl

a. Polar plotb. Lift Coefficientsc. Drag Coefficients

b

a

c

0 20 40 60 80 100

-0.4

0.0

0.4

0.8

1.2

1.6

Cl

Attack angle/degree

Polymer-A-Cl Polymer-B-Cl Polymer-C-Cl Polymer-D-Cl Polymer-E-Cl Polyes0.001-Cl Polyes0.002-Cl Polyes0.003-Cl Polyes0.004-Cl Polyes0.005-Cl Mylar0.003-Cl Mylar0.005-Cl Mylar0.007-Cl Polycarb0.01-Cl Polycarb0.015-Cl Polycarb0.02-Cl PET-G0.02-Cl PET-G0.06-Cl

Bio-inspired Sensors for Flight Control

• Previous work on Sensor:– Ocelli: roll, pitch angles– Magnetic Compass: yaw angle– Haltere: roll, pitch, and yaw rates

• Current Work on Sensor:– Sensor Fusion algorithms– Reafference in biological control systems

• Flight Stability and Control:– Averaging theory for flight control– Wing motion parameters as control inputs– Passive stability in flapping flight

Grand Challenge in Biosensor and Bioactuator Research

• Bio-inspired sensors for navigation and control– Gravitational, inertia, and linear velocity sensors.– Antennae sensors– Bio-inspired sensory-motor control : reafference; sensor fusion.

• Bio-inspired distributed sensors– Wing surface pressure sensors.– Wing, body, and leg hair sensors.

• Bio-inspired actuators– Coupling of sensing and actuation on the wing (morphing).– Artificial muscles.