One-wing polymer micromachined transmission for insect-inspired flapping wing nano air vehicles

Abstract

This paper presents a feasibility step in the development of an insect-inspired flapping wing nano air vehicle using advanced engineering technologies such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technologies. To develop an insect-inspired flapping wing nano air vehicle, a one-wing polymer micromachined transmission is proposed in this paper. The novelty of this study includes (1) the use of the geometrically nonlinear bending deformation of a set of two parallel elastic hinges as the basis for the transmission mechanism, which produces a large rotational displacement from a small translational displacement, and (2) a complete 2.5-dimensional structure that can be fabricated using standard microfabrication techniques, including etching, photolithography, deposition, and curing, without any post-assembly. This design is also an improved version of our previous design, a two-wing polymer micromachined transmission. The transmission proposed here has a great advantage over other types of transmission mechanisms, including its low energy loss because no post-assembly is required (reduced friction loss); its low total weight; its capacity to be further miniaturized without difficulty; and its performance, i.e., ability to produce the necessary stroke angle of approximately 30°w ithout resonance assistance.

Algorithm Selection Method Based on Coupling Strength for Partitioned Analysis of Structure-Piezoelectric-Circuit Coupling

“…The proposed method can be used as a framework for designing partitioned algorithms in coupled multiphysics problems. In future work, we will apply this framework to more complicated coupled multiphysics problems such as fluid-structure-piezoelectric-circuit coupling, which should be considered in the design process of flapping-wing nano air vehicles [29][30][31]. In this multiphysics problem with three types of coupling, 3tuples of the set S with elements of two or more coupling formulations represent possible partitioned algorithms, where the maximum number of partitioned algorithms is 2 3 or more.…”

Vein–Membrane Interaction in Cambering of Flapping Insect Wings

“…This mechanical understanding of the roles of veins in cambering will provide a design basis for micro and nano aerial vehicles that mimic the flapping flight of insects. It is possible to verify the results via a micro-wing design implementation with real flight experiments [63][64][65], which will be our future work. Insect-mimetic micro wings have been fabricated in Refs.…”

Novel Computational Design of Polymer Micromachined Insect-Mimetic Wings for Flapping-Wing Nano Air Vehicles

“…Furthermore, we have been preparing to flap the proposed wing using a micro-transmission. We have already developed the micro-transmission at this point [ 30 ]. Hence, a performance test will be conducted using this micro-transmission in our future work.…”

“…We have previously created a micro wing that is veinless and extremely similar in size to microscopic insect wings [ 29 ]. We have also been developing a fabrication technique and process for micro-transmissions that convert a piezoelectric bimorph actuator’s small translational displacement to a large stroke angle at a sufficient level of frequency [ 30 ]. These transmissions will be used to assess the performance of various micro wings.…”