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Dynamically-Scaled
Robotic Insects (Robofly) |
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To study the aerodynamics of flapping flight we have constructed
a series of large robots, permitting us to directly quantify the
forces and flows generated by flapping wings. In designing the
robots we make us of the principles of dynamic scaling, in which
size, flapping frequency, and velocity of the robots, as well
as the viscosity and density of the surrounding fluid, are chosen
so that two dimensionless parameters (Reynolds number and reduced
frequency) of the devices match those of the animals of interest.
Robofly has a 60 cm wingspan, typically flaps 5 times a second,
and is immersed in 2 tons of mineral oil. Six computer-controlled
motors specify the three rotational angles of each wing. The wings
are equipped with sensors for measuring instantaneous aerodynamic
forces, flow patterns are quantified using Digital Particle Image
Velocimetry (DPIV).
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