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A wing-assisted running robot and implications for avian flight evolution.

K Peterson¹, P Birkmeyer, R Dudley

¹Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-1770, USA. kevincp@eecs.berkeley.edu

Bioinspiration & Biomimetics

|October 19, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Adding flapping wings to a hexapedal robot enhanced its running speed and incline climbing ability. Wing flapping also improved aerial locomotion performance, demonstrating benefits for both terrestrial and flight capabilities.

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Area of Science:

Robotics
Bio-inspired Engineering
Locomotion

Background:

Understanding avian flight origins often relies on limited fossil evidence and observations of extant birds.
Evaluating the functional impact of wings on locomotion requires direct experimental approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the impact of flapping wings on a hexapedal robot's locomotor performance.
To compare running and aerial capabilities with and without active wing flapping.

Main Methods:

Utilized a hexapedal winged robot (DASH+Wings) with experimental controls including wing removal and passive wings.
Employed accelerometers and high-speed cameras for terrestrial locomotion analysis (running, incline ascent).
Conducted wind tunnel experiments to measure lift and drag forces, and free flight tests for glide performance.

Main Results:

Flapping wings increased maximum horizontal running speed from 0.68 to 1.29 m/s.
Maximum incline angle of ascent improved from 5.6° to 16.9° with flapping wings.
Flapping wings decreased equilibrium glide slope by 10.3° and improved the lift:drag ratio in aerial conditions.

Conclusions:

Low-amplitude wing flapping provides significant advantages for both cursorial (running) and aerial locomotion.
Robotic platforms offer a direct method to evaluate the functional consequences of wing flapping, aiding in understanding flight origins.