Lift generation of hummingbird wing models with flexible loosened membranes

Tanaka, Hiroto; Suzuki, Haruka; Kitamura, Ikuo; Maeda, Masateru; Liu, Hao

doi:10.1109/iros.2013.6696896

Cited by 12 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…The three-dimensional dynamic wing morphing of living organisms may be inspirational in designing the wings for flapping-wing micro air vehicles (MAVs) [ 58 ]. For instance, in a series of a membranous MAV wing-flapping experiments, it was found that both the aerodynamic vertical force and the mechanical efficiency increase as the wing has the more similar outline to that of the hummingbird or the wing membrane is loosened to allow spanwise twist [ 59 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying the dynamic wing morphing of hovering hummingbird

et al. 2017

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Animal wings are lightweight and flexible; hence, during flapping flight their shapes change. It has been known that such dynamic wing morphing reduces aerodynamic cost in insects, but the consequences in vertebrate flyers, particularly birds, are not well understood. We have developed a method to reconstruct a three-dimensional wing model of a bird from the wing outline and the feather shafts (rachides). The morphological and kinematic parameters can be obtained using the wing model, and the numerical or mechanical simulations may also be carried out. To test the effectiveness of the method, we recorded the hovering flight of a hummingbird (Amazilia amazilia) using high-speed cameras and reconstructed the right wing. The wing shape varied substantially within a stroke cycle. Specifically, the maximum and minimum wing areas differed by 18%, presumably due to feather sliding; the wing was bent near the wrist joint, towards the upward direction and opposite to the stroke direction; positive upward camber and the ‘washout’ twist (monotonic decrease in the angle of incidence from the proximal to distal wing) were observed during both half-strokes; the spanwise distribution of the twist was uniform during downstroke, but an abrupt increase near the wrist joint was found during upstroke.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying the dynamic wing morphing of hovering hummingbird

et al. 2017

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“…Moreover, scanning electron microscope (SEM) measurements of C. anna ’s wing showed a physical connection between neighbouring barbs [ 30 ], justifying the use of a rigid and non-porous material for the wing model in our experimental scheme presented below. It is also assumed that wing deformation is minimal [ 40 ] and does not play a significant role during the downstroke due to special feather arrangement, as opposed to during upstroke and wing reversal. Therefore, only the downstroke is analysed herein.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hovering hummingbird wing aerodynamics during the annual cycle. I. Complete wing

2017

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The diverse hummingbird family (Trochilidae) has unique adaptations for nectarivory, among which is the ability to sustain hover-feeding. As hummingbirds mainly feed while hovering, it is crucial to maintain this ability throughout the annual cycle—especially during flight-feather moult, in which wing area is reduced. To quantify the aerodynamic characteristics and flow mechanisms of a hummingbird wing throughout the annual cycle, time-accurate aerodynamic loads and flow field measurements were correlated over a dynamically scaled wing model of Anna’s hummingbird (Calypte anna). We present measurements recorded over a model of a complete wing to evaluate the baseline aerodynamic characteristics and flow mechanisms. We found that the vorticity concentration that had developed from the wing’s leading-edge differs from the attached vorticity structure that was typically found over insects’ wings; firstly, it is more elongated along the wing chord, and secondly, it encounters high levels of fluctuations rather than a steady vortex. Lift characteristics resemble those of insects; however, a 20% increase in the lift-to-torque ratio was obtained for the hummingbird wing model. Time-accurate aerodynamic loads were also used to evaluate the time-evolution of the specific power required from the flight muscles, and the overall wingbeat power requirements nicely matched previous studies.

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“…An example of the latter case are swift wings which can either be extended or swept, with swept wings less prone to structural failure (Lentink et al 2007). Hummingbird wings fold less during hovering flight, but do exhibit some folding during the upstroke (Tanaka et al 2013), and the degree of folding during both upstroke and downstroke changes with flight speed (Tobalske et al 2007). Wing folding can also enhance flight control by allowing transient changes to maintain flight stability, such as tucking the wings in response to turbulence (Reynolds et al 2014) or to navigate through clutter (Williams and Biewener 2015).…”

Section: Wing Shape and Aerodynamicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The biophysics of bird flight: functional relationships integrate aerodynamics, morphology, kinematics, muscles, and sensors

et al. 2015

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Bird flight is a remarkable adaptation that has allowed the approximately 10 000 extant species to colonize all terrestrial habitats on earth including high elevations, polar regions, distant islands, arid deserts, and many others. Birds exhibit numerous physiological and biomechanical adaptations for flight. Although bird flight is often studied at the level of aerodynamics, morphology, wingbeat kinematics, muscle activity, or sensory guidance independently, in reality these systems are naturally integrated. There has been an abundance of new studies in these mechanistic aspects of avian biology but comparatively less recent work on the physiological ecology of avian flight. Here we review research at the interface of the systems used in flight control and discuss several common themes. Modulation of aerodynamic forces to respond to different challenges is driven by three primary mechanisms: wing velocity about the shoulder, shape within the wing, and angle of attack. For birds that flap, the distinction between velocity and shape modulation synthesizes diverse studies in morphology, wing motion, and motor control. Recently developed tools for studying bird flight are influencing multiple areas of investigation, and in particular the role of sensory systems in flight control. How sensory information is transformed into motor commands in the avian brain remains, however, a largely unexplored frontier.

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Lift generation of hummingbird wing models with flexible loosened membranes

Cited by 12 publications

References 20 publications

Quantifying the dynamic wing morphing of hovering hummingbird

Quantifying the dynamic wing morphing of hovering hummingbird

Hovering hummingbird wing aerodynamics during the annual cycle. I. Complete wing

The biophysics of bird flight: functional relationships integrate aerodynamics, morphology, kinematics, muscles, and sensors

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