Development of elastomeric flight muscles for flapping wing micro air vehicles

Gih-Keong Lau; Yao-Wei Chin; Thanh-Giang La

doi:10.1117/12.2260422

17 April 2017 Development of elastomeric flight muscles for flapping wing micro air vehicles

Gih-Keong Lau, Yao-Wei Chin, Thanh-Giang La

Proceedings Volume 10163, Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) 2017; 1016320 (2017) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2260422
Event: SPIE Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring, 2017, Portland, Oregon, United States

Abstract

Common drivers of flapping wings are a motorized crank mechanisms, which convert the motor rotation into wing reciprocation. Energetic efficiency of the motorized wing flappers can be quite low due to the lack of elastic storage and high friction. This paper relook into the flapping flight apparatus of natural flyers and draw inspiration to develop flight muscles capable of elastic storage, in addition to the frictionless thoracic compliant mechanisms. We review the recent findings on the use of dielectric elastomer actuators as flight muscles. We also discuss the challenges and the prospects of using dielectric elastomer minimum energy structure to create large and fast bending/unbending, possibly for wing flapping.

Citation Download Citation

Gih-Keong Lau, Yao-Wei Chin, and Thanh-Giang La "Development of elastomeric flight muscles for flapping wing micro air vehicles", Proc. SPIE 10163, Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) 2017, 1016320 (17 April 2017); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2260422

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