Aerodynamic imaging by mosquitoes inspires a surface detector for autonomous flying vehicles

Abstract

Some flying animals use active sensing to perceive and avoid obstacles. Nocturnal mosquitoes exhibit a behavioral response to divert away from surfaces when vision is unavailable, indicating a short-range, mechanosensory collision-avoidance mechanism. We suggest that this behavior is mediated by perceiving modulations of their self-induced airflow patterns as they enter a ground or wall effect. We used computational fluid dynamics simulations of low-altitude and near-wall flights based on in vivo high-speed kinematic measurements to quantify changes in the self-generated pressure and velocity cues at the sensitive mechanosensory antennae. We validated the principle that encoding aerodynamic information can enable collision avoidance by developing a quadcopter with a sensory system inspired by the mosquito. Such low-power sensing systems have major potential for future use in safer rotorcraft control systems.

Landing mosquitoes bounce when engaging a substrate

“…Upon tarsal contact with the substrate specimens rapidly decelerate, shown graphically in Figs. 2 and 3 a, b. Sensing of the substrate prior to touchdown is likely done with a combination of vision and self-induced pressure wave detection 50 . Encounters with the substrate intermittently occur proboscis first, shown in Fig.…”

“…Yet, we observe greater compression distances by the proboscis alone, δ P = 1.71 mm, an observation that may be tied to insect perception rather than kinetics. However, it was recently discovered mosquitoes can sense sound pressure waves generated by their flapping wings rebounding from nearby surfaces, a sensory cue that is used to divert from unavoidable surfaces 50 . While the timescale over which landings occur is rapid, it is comparable to the timescale of takeoff 2 and lengthy compared to the timescale of a single wingbeat 56 .…”

“…We cannot confirm landings onto hosts are representative of those captured in this study, which may be described as controlled crashing. Mosquitoes use a variety of thermal, olfactory, and self-induced airflow cues in addition to vision to track their hosts 50,57 , but it is unclear how non-visual cues aid in clandestine landing. Mosquitoes are also nocturnal, avoiding obstacles invisible to their compound eyes 58 .…”

“…Yet, we observe greater compression distances by the proboscis alone, mm, an observation that may be tied to insect perception rather than kinetics. However, it was recently discovered mosquitoes can sense sound pressure waves generated by their flapping wings rebounding from nearby surfaces, a sensory cue that is used to divert from unavoidable surfaces 50 .…”

Flapping‐Wing Dynamics as a Natural Detector of Wind Direction

“…[ 5 ] Nakata et al proposed a method for detecting the nearby ground or walls by perceiving the modulations of the self‐induced airflow patterns of a UAV. [ 6 ] This method was validated by developing a quadcopter that measured the fluid velocities around it using stereo particle image velocimetry. These robots recognize the wind direction from the data of sensors in their trunks or ones installed in the room and indirectly estimate their positions and postures by using the data.…”