title: Biomechanics of smart wings in a bat robot: morphing wings using SMA actuators.
abstract: This paper presents the design of a bat-like micro aerial vehicle with actuated morphing wings. NiTi shape memory alloys (SMAs) acting as artificial biceps and triceps muscles are used for mimicking the morphing wing mechanism of the bat flight apparatus. Our objective is twofold. Firstly, we have implemented a control architecture that allows an accurate and fast SMA actuation. This control makes use of the electrical resistance measurements of SMAs to adjust morphing wing motions. Secondly, the feasibility of using SMA actuation technology is evaluated for the application at hand. To this purpose, experiments are conducted to analyze the control performance in terms of nominal and overloaded operation modes of the SMAs. This analysis includes: (i) inertial forces regarding the stretchable wing membrane and aerodynamic loads, and (ii) uncertainties due to impact of airflow conditions over the resistance-motion relationship of SMAs. With the proposed control, morphing actuation speed can be increased up to 2.5 Hz, being sufficient to generate lift forces at a cruising speed of 5 m s(-1).
authors.affiliation: Centre for Automation and Robotics, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain. jd.colorado@upm.es
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Colorado
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barrientos
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Bahlman
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Breuer
mesh_terms: D000401:Aircraft; D000818:Animals; D040761:Biomimetic Materials; D032701:Biomimetics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000502:physiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005246:Feedback; D005426:Flight, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D009532:Nickel / Q000737:chemistry*; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014159:Transducers; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C040654:titanium nickelide; D009532:Nickel; D014025:Titanium