Development of a flapping mechanism inspired by the flexible wing-base structure of insects for wing motion control

Abstract

Flying insects are capable of hovering and rapid maneuver under unpredictable environments. The principal wing-beat is generated by transmitting the rhythmical contractions of power muscles to the exoskeleton and wing-base articulation. Fine-tuning of the flapping wing kinematics is achieved by deforming the articulation with tiny steering muscles. This flapping mechanism of insect flight is distinct from that of conventional man-made aerial vehicles, enabling superior flight. In this study, we propose an insect-inspired flapping mechanism, which is comprised of two different types of actuators and a flexible wing-base structure. The flapping mechanism is driven by electric motors, which modulate wing kinematics by adjusting the flexible wing-base structure using electromagnetic actuators (EMAs). First, the EMA design was optimized based on analysis of the dynamic forces and displacements to enable deformations of the wing-base structure. A prototype flapping mechanism was then constructed, and its performance was evaluated experimentally by adjusting the actuation phase of the EMAs being synchronized with flapping motions of the wing. The results indicate that the wingbeat kinematics and aerodynamic performance are noticeably sensitive to the actuation timing of EMAs and can thus be controlled by tuning the EMA actuating timing and direction. The flapping mechanism can potentially be applied as a novel means for controlling body posture of flapping-wing micro air vehicles to achieve insect-inspired stable flights in natural environments.

Keywords

• biomimetics
• bioinspiration
• micro air vehicle (mav)
• insect musculoskeletal system
• flapping mechanism
• flexibility