| NSF Org: |
CMMI Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | September 17, 2012 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | September 17, 2012 |
| Award Number: | 1234787 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Jordan Berg
jberg@nsf.gov (703)292-5365 CMMI Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation ENG Directorate for Engineering |
| Start Date: | October 1, 2012 |
| End Date: | September 30, 2016 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $68,927.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $68,927.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
104 AIRPORT DR STE 2200 CHAPEL HILL NC US 27599-5023 (919)966-3411 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
G40 Wilson Hall Chapel Hill NC US 27599-3280 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | CONTROL SYSTEMS |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.041 |
ABSTRACT
The objective of this research is to investigate the dynamics and control of hummingbird flight. Two species of hummingbirds of different sizes and two species of insect (hawkmoth and wasps) will be used, and an integrative approach based on animal experiments, mathematical modeling, theoretical analysis, and engineering experiments will be performed. The goal of this work is to provide a general theory for animal flight maneuverability, stability and control through a series of targeted experiments. This research will directly contribute to the development of new, improved models of flight mechanics, and it will substantially advance our understanding of one of the major forms of animal locomotion. Ultimately this scientific basis will not only advance the theory of animal flight but also provide design guidelines for bio-inspired engineering systems with superior stability and maneuverability.
The proposed research will enhance the infrastructure for research and education through interdisciplinary research in biology and engineering. The research results will be disseminated broadly to the biology, physics, and engineering research communities. The theories developed in this work can potentially be translated into other forms of locomotion. Advances in high performance flapping wing micro aerial vehicles can be used in civilian and defense applications such as search and rescue in collapsed buildings, or indoor surveillance such as in crowded airports. Building upon their historically-successful outreach activities including various television, film, radio, web-based and newspaper reports, the PIs will continue on their active outreach effort with the goal of engaging general public, pre-college students, K-12 students in scientific research and generating scientific excitement and awareness through various public activities and events.
Abstract
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Intellectual merit outcomes: This project set out to improve on models of flapping flight maneverability and stability through collaborative work by biologists and engineers on hummingbirds and, to a smaller degree, hawkmoths which are a large moth species that hovers like a hummingbird. Experiments were conducted in lab on hummingbirds and hawkmoths and were complemented by field recordings of hummingbird flight. We found that hummingbird maneuvering performance is likely limited by their available muscle power and not by the neurosensory reaction time. We also found that larger hummingbirds have to work harder, or at least change their wing trajectories more than smaller hummingbird species to achieve the same performace. Also, although hummingbirds are often thought of as tiny helicopters, they have significantly more versatility in their flight and do not match a "helicopter model" where most of the aerodynamic force points up from the wings or rotor. Instead, hummingbirds can, for instance, create a direct backward force without changing the plane of the wing motion. Hawkmoths, however, do conform to the helicopter model, to move side to side they roll to change the overall orientation of the stroke plane. In the field, hummingbirds were found to take advantage of gravity when escaping from another hummgingbird, but appear to not flap any harder when doing so.
Broader impacts outcomes: Understanding the sources of maneuverability in hummingbirds makes it easier to build or design drones with similar capabilities. This project also contributed to science outreach efforts at the NC Museum of Natural History BugFest! and the UNC Science Expo, where children were able to hold hawkmoths, hawkmoth pupae and even feed hovering hawkmoths by holding a flower for them. The downdraft of air that supports a hovering moth is easy to feel during feeding and these outreach efforts, targeted at broadly accessible and widely promoted events, inspire interest in biology, engineering and the overlap between the two. Finally, the hummingbird field flight results are now a stable of Dr. Hedrick's guest lecture in the undergraduate physics (mechanics) class.
Last Modified: 11/04/2016
Modified by: Tyson L Hedrick
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