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He X, Wang C, Jia P, Zhong Z. The Effect of Hindwing Trajectories on Wake-Wing Interactions in the Configuration of Two Flapping Wings in Tandem. Biomimetics (Basel) 2024; 9:406. [PMID: 39056847 PMCID: PMC11274670 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics9070406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 06/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The present investigations on tandem wing configurations primarily revolve around the effects of the spacing L and the phase difference φ between the forewing and the hindwing on aerodynamic performance. However, in nature, organisms employing biplane flight, such as dragonflies, demonstrate the ability to achieve superior aerodynamic performance by flexibly adjusting their flapping trajectories. Therefore, this study focuses on the effects of φ, as well as the trajectory of the hindwing, on aerodynamic performance. By summarizing four patterns of wake-wing interaction processes, it is indicated that φ=-90∘ and 0∘ enhances the thrust of the hindwing, while φ=90∘ and 180∘ result in reductions. Furthermore, the wake-wing interactions and shedding modes are summarized corresponding to three kinds of trajectories, including elliptical trajectories, figure-eight trajectories, and double figure-eight trajectories. The results show that the aerodynamic performance of the elliptical trajectory is similar to that of the straight trajectory, while the figure-eight trajectory with positive surging motion significantly enhances the aerodynamic performance of the hindwing. Conversely, the double-figure-eight trajectory degrades the aerodynamic performance of the hindwing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu He
- School of Science, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China; (X.H.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Chao Wang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Pan Jia
- School of Science, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China; (X.H.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Zheng Zhong
- School of Science, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China; (X.H.); (Z.Z.)
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2
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Uhrhan MJ, Bomphrey RJ, Lin HT. Flow sensing on dragonfly wings. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2024; 1536:107-121. [PMID: 38837424 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
One feature of animal wings is their embedded mechanosensory system that can support flight control. Insect wings are particularly interesting as they are highly deformable yet the actuation is limited to the wing base. It is established that strain sensors on insect wings can directly mediate reflexive control; however, little is known about airflow sensing by insect wings. What information can flow sensors capture and how can flow sensing benefit flight control? Here, we use the dragonfly (Sympetrum striolatum) as a model to explore the function of wing sensory bristles in the context of flight control. Combining our detailed anatomical reconstructions of both the sensor microstructures and wing architecture, we used computational fluid dynamics simulations to ask the following questions. (1) Are there strategic locations on wings that sample flow for estimating aerodynamically relevant parameters such as the local effective angle of attack? (2) Is the sensory bristle distribution on dragonfly wings optimal for flow sensing? (3) What is the aerodynamic effect of microstructures found near the sensory bristles on dragonfly wings? We discuss the benefits of flow sensing for flexible wings and how the evolved sensor placement affects information encoding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam J Uhrhan
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Richard J Bomphrey
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, UK
| | - Huai-Ti Lin
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
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3
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Novella Fernandez R. A straightforward protocol to sample morphological traits of dragonflies and damselflies in the field. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11604. [PMID: 38915389 PMCID: PMC11194295 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Scarcity of morphological data limits the potential of functional ecology approaches, which rely on traits to elucidate ecological processes. Dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata) are a frequently used ecological model for which, however, only limited morphological data is available. Here, it is presented a field sampling protocol to collect ecologically relevant yet largely unavailable morphological traits of Odonata. The protocol enables the straightforward collection of traits from living individuals directly in the field. Those traits include body mass, wing area and wing loading as well as thorax width, hindwing length and body length. Furthermore, the protocol allows for posterior wing morphometric analyses. The protocol proved to be robust and universally applicable based on testing on roughly half (76) of all European odonate species. The use of this protocol can increase our understanding of odonatan morphology at interspecific and intraspecific levels and assist in developing mechanistic understanding of their ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Novella Fernandez
- Department for Life Science Systems, School of Life SciencesTechnical University of Munich, Terrestrial Ecology Research GroupFreisingGermany
- Department of Global Change Ecology, BiocenterUniversity of WürzburgWürzburgGermany
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4
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Yoshida M, Fukui T. Numerical Simulation of the Advantages of the Figure-Eight Flapping Motion of an Insect on Aerodynamics under Low Reynolds Number Conditions. Biomimetics (Basel) 2024; 9:249. [PMID: 38667261 PMCID: PMC11047854 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics9040249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In proceeding with the advanced development of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are small flying machines, understanding the flight of insects is important because UAVs that use flight are attracting attention. The figure-eight trajectory of the wing tips is often observed in the flight of insects. In this study, we investigated the more efficient figure-eight motion patterns in generating lift during the hovering motion and the relationship between figure-eight motion and Reynolds number. For this purpose, we compared the ratios of the cycle-averaged lift coefficient to the power coefficient generated from each motion by varying the elevation motion angle, which is the rotational motion that represents the figure-eight motion, and the Reynolds number. The result showed that the motion with a smaller initial phase of the elevation motion angle (φe0≤90°) could generate lift more efficiently at all Reynolds numbers. In addition, the figure-eight motion was more effective when the Reynolds number was low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masato Yoshida
- Department of Master’s Program of Mechanophysics, Kyoto Institute of Technology Matsugasaki Goshokaido-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan;
| | - Tomohiro Fukui
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kyoto Institute of Technology Matsugasaki Goshokaido-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan
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5
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Tiwari S, Chandel S. Effect of stroke plane inclination on the hovering aerodynamic performance of tandem flapping foils. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2024; 19:026002. [PMID: 38176109 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ad1b2d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
The four-winged form of dragonfly and damselfly allows them to fly with great agility and endurance, which are accomplished by independently controlling the kinematics of each wing. In this study, we performed numerical simulations of two tandem airfoils oscillating along an inclined stroke plane atRe=157. We investigated the effects of the stroke plane angle (β)of forefoil and hindfoil on the aerodynamic performance of dragonflies (or damselflies) hovering flight. Simulations were conducted for parallel and non-parallel stroke planes of forefoil and hindfoil oscillating with three phase differences:ϕ=0o,90oand180o. For parallel stroke planes, the results show that the total lift increases withβ, whereas the total thrust decreases in same condition. In addition, the total lift and thrust decrease with an increase inϕ. The forefoil performance is affected by the flow induced by hindfoil's leading-edge vortices, and the hindfoil interactions with forefoil's wake vortices significantly affect the hindfoil's performance. The findings demonstrate that non-parallel stroke planes exert detrimental effects on the total lift forϕ=0oand90o. However, forϕ=180o, the lift augmentation of 46% is obtained in the case where the forefoil stroke plane angle is smaller than the hindfoil. The results obtained during this investigation can help in optimizing the wing kinematics during the micro air vehicles development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shubham Tiwari
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DU), Girinagar, Pune 411025, Maharashtra, India
| | - Sunil Chandel
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DU), Girinagar, Pune 411025, Maharashtra, India
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6
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Khandelwal PC, Zakaria MA, Socha JJ. A Year at the Forefront of Gliding Locomotion. Biol Open 2023; 12:bio059973. [PMID: 37581305 PMCID: PMC10445725 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
This review highlights the largely understudied behavior of gliding locomotion, which is exhibited by a diverse range of animals spanning vertebrates and invertebrates, in air and in water. The insights in the literature gained from January 2022 to December 2022 continue to challenge the previously held notion of gliding as a relatively simple form of locomotion. Using advances in field/lab data collection and computation, the highlighted studies cover gliding in animals including seabirds, flying lizards, flying snakes, geckos, dragonflies, damselflies, and dolphins. Altogether, these studies present gliding as a sophisticated behavior resulting from the interdependent aspects of morphology, sensing, environment, and likely selective pressures. This review uses these insights as inspiration to encourage researchers to revisit gliding locomotion, both in the animal's natural habitat and in the laboratory, and to investigate questions spanning gliding biomechanics, ecology, sensing, and the evolution of animal flight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranav C. Khandelwal
- Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
- Institute of Flight Mechanics and Controls, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
| | - Mohamed A. Zakaria
- Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - John J. Socha
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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7
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Ferreira VRS, de Resende BO, Bastos RC, da Brito JS, de Carvalho FG, Calvão LB, Oliveira‐Junior JMB, Neiss UG, Ferreira R, Juen L. Amazonian Odonata Trait Bank. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10149. [PMID: 37332521 PMCID: PMC10271597 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Discussion regarding the gaps of knowledge on Odonata is common in the literature. Such gaps are even greater when dealing with basic biological data for biodiverse environments like the Amazon Rainforest. Therefore, studies that address, classify, and standardize functional traits allow the elaboration of a wide range of ecological and evolutionary hypotheses. Moreover, such endeavors aid conservation and management planning by providing a better understanding of which functional traits are filtered or favored under environmental changes. Here, our main goal was to produce a database with 68 functional traits of 218 Odonata species that occur in the Brazilian Amazon. We extracted data on behavior, habit/habitat (larvae and adults), thermoregulation, and geographic distribution from 419 literature sources classified into different research areas. Moreover, we measured 22 morphological traits of approximately 2500 adults and categorized species distributions based on approximately 40,000 geographic records for the Americas. As a result, we provided a functional matrix and identified different functional patterns for the Odonata suborders, as well as a strong relationship between the different trait categories. For this reason, we recommend the selection of key traits that represent a set of functional variables, reducing the sampling effort. In conclusion, we detect and discuss gaps in the literature and suggest research to be developed with the present Amazonian Odonata Trait Bank (AMO-TB).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rafael Costa Bastos
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação (LABECO)Universidade Federal do ParáBelémParáBrazil
| | - Joás Silva da Brito
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação (LABECO)Universidade Federal do ParáBelémParáBrazil
| | | | - Lenize Batista Calvão
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação (LABECO)Universidade Federal do ParáBelémParáBrazil
| | - José Max Barbosa Oliveira‐Junior
- Laboratório de Estudos de Impacto Ambiental (LEIA), Instituto de Ciências e Tecnologia das Águas (ICTA)Universidade Federal do Oeste do ParáSantarémParáBrazil
| | - Ulisses Gaspar Neiss
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA)Universidade Federal do AmazonasManausAmazonasBrazil
| | - Rhainer Ferreira
- Laboratório de Estudos Ecológicos em Etologia e Evolução (LESTES Lab)Universidade Federal do Triângulo MineiroUberabaMinas GeraisBrazil
| | - Leandro Juen
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação (LABECO)Universidade Federal do ParáBelémParáBrazil
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8
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Weber AI, Babaei M, Mamo A, Brunton BW, Daniel TL, Bergbreiter S. Nonuniform structural properties of wings confer sensing advantages. J R Soc Interface 2023; 20:20220765. [PMID: 36946090 PMCID: PMC10031407 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2022.0765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensory feedback is essential to both animals and robotic systems for achieving coordinated, precise movements. Mechanosensory feedback, which provides information about body deformation, depends not only on the properties of sensors but also on the structure in which they are embedded. In insects, wing structure plays a particularly important role in flapping flight: in addition to generating aerodynamic forces, wings provide mechanosensory feedback necessary for guiding flight while undergoing dramatic deformations during each wingbeat. However, the role that wing structure plays in determining mechanosensory information is relatively unexplored. Insect wings exhibit characteristic stiffness gradients and are subject to both aerodynamic and structural damping. Here we examine how both of these properties impact sensory performance, using finite element analysis combined with sensor placement optimization approaches. We show that wings with nonuniform stiffness exhibit several advantages over uniform stiffness wings, resulting in higher accuracy of rotation detection and lower sensitivity to the placement of sensors on the wing. Moreover, we show that higher damping generally improves the accuracy with which body rotations can be detected. These results contribute to our understanding of the evolution of the nonuniform stiffness patterns in insect wings, as well as suggest design principles for robotic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison I Weber
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Mahnoush Babaei
- Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Amanuel Mamo
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Bingni W Brunton
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Thomas L Daniel
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sarah Bergbreiter
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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9
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Experimental identification of individual insect visual tracking delays in free flight and their effects on visual swarm patterns. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0278167. [PMID: 36441727 PMCID: PMC9704579 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects are model systems for swarming robotic agents, yet engineered descriptions do not fully explain the mechanisms by which they provide onboard sensing and feedback to support such motions; in particular, the exact value and population distribution of visuomotor processing delays are not yet quantified, nor the effect of such delays on a visually-interconnected swarm. This study measures untethered insects performing a solo in-flight visual tracking task and applies system identification techniques to build an experimentally-consistent model of the visual tracking behaviors, and then integrates the measured experimental delay and its variation into a visually interconnected swarm model to develop theoretical and simulated solutions and stability limits. The experimental techniques include the development of a moving visual stimulus and real-time multi camera based tracking system called VISIONS (Visual Input System Identification from Outputs of Naturalistic Swarms) providing the capability to recognize and simultaneously track both a visual stimulus (input) and an insect at a frame rate of 60-120 Hz. A frequency domain analysis of honeybee tracking trajectories is conducted via fast Fourier and Chirp Z transforms, identifying a coherent linear region and its model structure. The model output is compared in time and frequency domain simulations. The experimentally measured delays are then related to probability density functions, and both the measured delays and their distribution are incorporated as inter-agent interaction delays in a second order swarming dynamics model. Linear stability and bifurcation analysis on the long range asymptotic behavior is used to identify delay distributions leading to a family of solutions with stable and unstable swarm center of mass (barycenter) locations. Numerical simulations are used to verify these results with both continuous and measured distributions. The results of this experiment quantify a model structure and temporal lag (transport delay) in the closed loop dynamics, and show that this delay varies across 50 individuals from 5-110ms, with an average delay of 22ms and a standard deviation of 40ms. When analyzed within the swarm model, the measured delays support a diversity of solutions and indicate an unstable barycenter.
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10
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Sun J, Li P, Yan Y, Song F, Xu N, Zhang Z. Micro-structures, nanomechanical properties and flight performance of three beetles with different folding ratios. BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2022; 13:845-856. [PMID: 36105689 PMCID: PMC9443306 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.13.75] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
When beetles are not in flight, their hind wings are folded and hidden under the elytra to reduce their size. This provided inspiration for the design of flapping-wing micro aerial vehicles (FWMAVs). In this paper, microstructures and nanomechanical properties of three beetle species with different wing folding ratios living in different environments were investigated. Factors affecting their flight performance, that is, wind speed, folding ratio, aspect ratio, and flapping frequency, were examined using a wind tunnel. It was found that the wing folding ratio correlated with the lift force of the beetles. Wind speed, folding ratio, aspect ratio, and flapping frequency had a combined effect on the flight performance of the beetles. The results will be helpful to design new deployable FWMAVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiyu Sun
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering (Ministry of Education, China), Jilin University, Changchun, 130022, P.R. China
| | - Pengpeng Li
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering (Ministry of Education, China), Jilin University, Changchun, 130022, P.R. China
| | - Yongwei Yan
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering (Ministry of Education, China), Jilin University, Changchun, 130022, P.R. China
| | - Fa Song
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering (Ministry of Education, China), Jilin University, Changchun, 130022, P.R. China
| | - Nuo Xu
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering (Ministry of Education, China), Jilin University, Changchun, 130022, P.R. China
| | - Zhijun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of CNC Equipment Reliability (Ministry of Education) and School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, 130022, P.R. China
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11
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Lancer BH, Evans BJE, Fabian JM, O'Carroll DC, Wiederman SD. Preattentive facilitation of target trajectories in a dragonfly visual neuron. Commun Biol 2022; 5:829. [PMID: 35982305 PMCID: PMC9388622 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03798-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to pursue targets in visually cluttered and distraction-rich environments is critical for predators such as dragonflies. Previously, we identified Centrifugal Small-Target Motion Detector 1 (CSTMD1), a dragonfly visual neuron likely involved in such target-tracking behaviour. CSTMD1 exhibits facilitated responses to targets moving along a continuous trajectory. Moreover, CSTMD1 competitively selects a single target out of a pair. Here, we conducted in vivo, intracellular recordings from CSTMD1 to examine the interplay between facilitation and selection, in response to the presentation of paired targets. We find that neuronal responses to both individual trajectories of simultaneous, paired targets are facilitated, rather than being constrained to the single, selected target. Additionally, switches in selection elicit suppression which is likely an important attribute underlying target pursuit. However, binocular experiments reveal these results are constrained to paired targets within the same visual hemifield, while selection of a target in one visual hemifield establishes ocular dominance that prevents facilitation or response to contralaterally presented targets. These results reveal that the dragonfly brain preattentively represents more than one target trajectory, to balance between attentional flexibility and resistance against distraction. A dragonfly visual neuron independently facilitates responses to rival targets within the same visual field, mediating selective attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin H Lancer
- School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
| | - Bernard J E Evans
- School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Joseph M Fabian
- School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
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12
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Characterization of Wingbeat Frequency of Different Taxa of Migratory Insects in Northeast Asia. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13060520. [PMID: 35735856 PMCID: PMC9224674 DOI: 10.3390/insects13060520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Wingbeat frequency (WBF), an important variable in the study of flight biology, is very valuable in identifying migratory behavior. Thus, the WBF of migratory insects in Northeast Asia was detected and analyzed to establish the relationship between WBF and insect morphometrics. The results demonstrated that WBF differed across orders and that morphological variables were closely connected to this observed variation. This study may be helpful for increasing our understanding of flight biology and for developing new methods to identify the species of migrating insects. Abstract The ability to migrate is an important biological trait of insects, and wingbeat frequency (WBF) is a key factor influencing migratory behavior. The WBF of insects has been shown to be species-specific in previous studies; however, there is scant information on variations in WBF among different taxa of migratory insects. In 2018 and 2019, we investigated the relationship between WBF and 12 morphological variables (e.g., body mass, body length, total wing area, etc.) of the main migratory insects (77 species in 3 orders and 14 families) over the Bohai Sea in China. The WBF of migratory insects was negatively correlated with the 12 morphological variables and varied significantly among orders. In migratory lepidopterans, neuropterans, and odonatans, the ranges of WBF were 6.71–81.28 Hz, 19.17–30.53 Hz, and 18.35–38.01 Hz, respectively. Regression models between WBF and connecting morphological variables were established for these three orders. Our findings revealed the relationship between WBF and morphometrics of migratory insects in Northeast Asia, increased our knowledge on the flight biology of migratory insects, and provided a basis for developing morphological and WBF-based monitoring techniques to identify migrating insects.
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13
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Salami E, Montazer E, Ward TA, Nik Ghazali NN, Anjum Badruddin I. Aerodynamic Performance of a Dragonfly-Inspired Tandem Wing System for a Biomimetic Micro Air Vehicle. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:787220. [PMID: 35662843 PMCID: PMC9159522 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.787220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The flying agility demonstrated by dragonflies is accomplished by means of complex aerodynamic forces produced by flapping their four wings arranged in a tandem configuration. The current study presents a novel tandem flapping wing mechanism for a biomimetic air vehicle that was designed and manufactured to experimentally investigate the aerodynamic forces. By optimizing the configuration and using spatial network analysis, it is shown that the designed structure can flap the wings in a linear up–down stroke motion and is capable of maintaining good consistency and aerodynamic performance. Such a mechanism could be used in a future biomimetic micro air vehicle (BMAV) design. The mechanism uses an electromagnetic actuator to flap the wings with a variable beat frequency (30–210 Hz) at various angles of attack (−10°–20°). The results show that the tandem wings generate approximately 50% higher lift than the forewing or hindwing pairs acting alone. Tandem wings also improve stability, which could potentially allow hovering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erfan Salami
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- *Correspondence: Erfan Salami, ; Nik Nazri Nik Ghazali,
| | - Elham Montazer
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Thomas A Ward
- School of Engineering and Computer Science, Cedarville University, Cedarville, OH, United States
| | - Nik Nazri Nik Ghazali
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- *Correspondence: Erfan Salami, ; Nik Nazri Nik Ghazali,
| | - Irfan Anjum Badruddin
- Research Center for Advanced Materials Science (RCAMS), King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
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14
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Fabian J, Siwanowicz I, Uhrhan M, Maeda M, Bomphrey RJ, Lin HT. Systematic characterization of wing mechanosensors that monitor airflow and wing deformations. iScience 2022; 25:104150. [PMID: 35465360 PMCID: PMC9018384 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal wings deform during flight in ways that can enhance lift, facilitate flight control, and mitigate damage. Monitoring the structural and aerodynamic state of the wing is challenging because deformations are passive, and the flow fields are unsteady; it requires distributed mechanosensors that respond to local airflow and strain on the wing. Without a complete map of the sensor arrays, it is impossible to model control strategies underpinned by them. Here, we present the first systematic characterization of mechanosensors on the dragonfly’s wings: morphology, distribution, and wiring. By combining a cross-species survey of sensor distribution with quantitative neuroanatomy and a high-fidelity finite element analysis, we show that the mechanosensors are well placed to perceive features of the wing dynamics relevant to flight. This work describes the wing sensory apparatus in its entirety and advances our understanding of the sensorimotor loop that facilitates exquisite flight control in animals with highly deformable wings. Dragonfly wings are innervated by an extensive collection of sensory neurons Mechanosensors are spread across the whole span of the wing with consistent patterns The axons of wing sensory neurons are scaled to compensate for transmission latencies Anatomically accurate models reveal wing strain fields that inform sensor distribution
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Fabian
- Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.,The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | - Huai-Ti Lin
- Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
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15
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Evans BJE, O’Carroll DC, Fabian JM, Wiederman SD. Dragonfly Neurons Selectively Attend to Targets Within Natural Scenes. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:857071. [PMID: 35450210 PMCID: PMC9017788 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.857071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Aerial predators, such as the dragonfly, determine the position and movement of their prey even when both are moving through complex, natural scenes. This task is likely supported by a group of neurons in the optic lobe which respond to moving targets that subtend less than a few degrees. These Small Target Motion Detector (STMD) neurons are tuned to both target size and velocity, whilst also exhibiting facilitated responses to targets traveling along continuous trajectories. When presented with a pair of targets, some STMDs generate spiking activity that represent a competitive selection of one target, as if the alternative does not exist (i.e., selective attention). Here, we describe intracellular responses of CSTMD1 (an identified STMD) to the visual presentation of targets embedded within cluttered, natural scenes. We examine CSTMD1 response changes to target contrast, as well as a range of target and background velocities. We find that background motion affects CSTMD1 responses via the competitive selection between features within the natural scene. Here, robust discrimination of our artificially embedded “target” is limited to scenarios when its velocity is matched to, or greater than, the background velocity. Additionally, the background’s direction of motion affects discriminability, though not in the manner observed in STMDs of other flying insects. Our results highlight that CSTMD1’s competitive responses are to those features best matched to the neuron’s underlying spatiotemporal tuning, whether from the embedded target or other features in the background clutter. In many scenarios, CSTMD1 responds robustly to targets moving through cluttered scenes. However, whether this neuronal system could underlie the task of competitively selecting slow moving prey against fast-moving backgrounds remains an open question.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard John Essex Evans
- School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- *Correspondence: Bernard John Essex Evans
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16
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Peng L, Pan T, Zheng M, Song S, Su G, Li Q. Kinematics and Aerodynamics of Dragonflies (Pantala flavescens, Libellulidae) in Climbing Flight. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:795063. [PMID: 35372311 PMCID: PMC8966397 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.795063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This study presents a detailed analysis of dragonflies’ climbing flight by integratinghigh-speed photogrammetry, three-dimensional reconstruction, and computational fluid dynamics. In this study, a dragonfly’s climbing flight is captured by two high-speed cameras with orthogonal optical axes. Through feature point matching and three-dimensional reconstruction, the body kinematics and wing kinematics of 22 dragonflies in climbing flight are accurately captured. Experimental results show that the climbing angles (η) are distributed from 10° to 80° and are concentrated within two ranges, 60°–70° (36%) and 20°–30° (32%), which are defined as large angle climb (LAC) and small angle climb (SAC), respectively. In order to study the aerodynamic mechanism of the climbing flight based on the biological observation results, the kinematic parameters of the dragonfly during LAC and SAC are selected for analysis and numerical simulation. The results show that the climbing angle η and wing kinematics are related. There are considerable differences in wing kinematics during climbing with different η, while the wing kinematics are unchanged during climbing with similar η. With the increase in η, the phase difference (λ) between the forewing and the hind wing decreases and the amplitude of the positional angle (θmean) of the hind wing increases, while θmean of the forewing remains almost unchanged. Through numerical simulation of LAC and SAC, it can be found that during the climb with different η, the different wing kinematics have a significant influence on aerodynamic performance. During SAC, the increase in λ and the decrease in θmean of the hind wing weaken the aerodynamic disturbance of the forewing by the vortex wing of the hind wing, thus improving the flight efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liansong Peng
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Tianyu Pan
- Reserach Institute of Aero-Engine, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Mengzong Zheng
- Reserach Institute of Aero-Engine, Beihang University, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Mengzong Zheng,
| | - Shiying Song
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Guanting Su
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Qiushi Li
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
- Reserach Institute of Aero-Engine, Beihang University, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Fluid and Power Machinery, Ministry of Education, Xihua University, Chengdu, China
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17
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Segre PS, Gough WT, Roualdes EA, Cade DE, Czapanskiy MF, Fahlbusch J, Kahane-Rapport SR, Oestreich WK, Bejder L, Bierlich KC, Burrows JA, Calambokidis J, Chenoweth EM, di Clemente J, Durban JW, Fearnbach H, Fish FE, Friedlaender AS, Hegelund P, Johnston DW, Nowacek DP, Oudejans MG, Penry GS, Potvin J, Simon M, Stanworth A, Straley JM, Szabo A, Videsen SKA, Visser F, Weir CR, Wiley DN, Goldbogen JA. Scaling of maneuvering performance in baleen whales: larger whales outperform expectations. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274595. [PMID: 35234874 PMCID: PMC8976943 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Despite their enormous size, whales make their living as voracious predators. To catch their much smaller, more maneuverable prey, they have developed several unique locomotor strategies that require high energetic input, high mechanical power output and a surprising degree of agility. To better understand how body size affects maneuverability at the largest scale, we used bio-logging data, aerial photogrammetry and a high-throughput approach to quantify the maneuvering performance of seven species of free-swimming baleen whale. We found that as body size increases, absolute maneuvering performance decreases: larger whales use lower accelerations and perform slower pitch-changes, rolls and turns than smaller species. We also found that baleen whales exhibit positive allometry of maneuvering performance: relative to their body size, larger whales use higher accelerations, and perform faster pitch-changes, rolls and certain types of turns than smaller species. However, not all maneuvers were impacted by body size in the same way, and we found that larger whales behaviorally adjust for their decreased agility by using turns that they can perform more effectively. The positive allometry of maneuvering performance suggests that large whales have compensated for their increased body size by evolving more effective control surfaces and by preferentially selecting maneuvers that play to their strengths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo S Segre
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - William T Gough
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - Edward A Roualdes
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, California State University, Chico, Chico, CA 95929, USA
| | - David E Cade
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA.,Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Max F Czapanskiy
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - James Fahlbusch
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA.,Cascadia Research Collective, Olympia, WA 98501, USA
| | - Shirel R Kahane-Rapport
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA.,Department of Biological Science, California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 92834, USA
| | | | - Lars Bejder
- Marine Mammal Research Program, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Kaneohe, HI 96744, USA.,Zoophysiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - K C Bierlich
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA.,Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR 97365, USA
| | - Julia A Burrows
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA.,Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Ellen M Chenoweth
- University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.,Department of Natural Sciences, University of Alaska Southeast, AK 99835, USA
| | - Jacopo di Clemente
- Marine Mammal Research, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.,Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark.,Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - John W Durban
- Southall Environmental Associates, Inc., Aptos, CA 95003, USA
| | - Holly Fearnbach
- SR3, SeaLife Response, Rehabilitation and Research, Des Moines, WA 98198, USA
| | - Frank E Fish
- Department of Biology, West Chester University, PA 19383, USA
| | - Ari S Friedlaender
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Peter Hegelund
- Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk 3900, Greenland
| | - David W Johnston
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
| | - Douglas P Nowacek
- Nicholas School of the Environment and Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University Marine Lab, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
| | | | - Gwenith S Penry
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha 6031, South Africa
| | - Jean Potvin
- Department of Physics, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 63103, USA
| | - Malene Simon
- Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk 3900, Greenland
| | | | - Janice M Straley
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Alaska Southeast, AK 99835, USA
| | - Andrew Szabo
- Alaska Whale Foundation, Petersburg, AK 99833, USA
| | - Simone K A Videsen
- Zoophysiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Fleur Visser
- Kelp Marine Research, 1624 CJ Hoorn, The Netherlands.,Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, IBED, University of Amsterdam, 1090 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Coastal Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, 1790 AB Den Burg, The Netherlands
| | | | - David N Wiley
- NOAA/Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Scituate, MA 02066, USA
| | - Jeremy A Goldbogen
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
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18
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Aiello BR, Stanchak KE, Weber AI, Deora T, Sponberg S, Brunton BW. Spatial distribution of campaniform sensilla mechanosensors on wings: form, function, and phylogeny. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 48:8-17. [PMID: 34175464 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2021.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Insect wings serve two crucial functions in flight: propulsion and sensing. During flapping flight, complex spatiotemporal patterns of strain on the wing reflect mechanics, kinematics, and external perturbations; sensing wing deformation provides feedback necessary for flight control. Campaniform sensilla distributed across the wing transduce local strain fluctuations into neural signals, so their placement on the wing determines sensory information available to the insect. Thus, understanding the significance of these sensor locations will also reveal how sensing and wing movement are coupled. Here, we identify trends in wing campaniform sensilla placement across flying insects from the literature. We then discuss how these patterns can influence sensory encoding by wing mechanosensors. Finally, we propose combining a comparative approach on model insect clades with computational modeling, leveraging the spectacular natural diversity in wings to uncover biological principles of mechanosensory feedback in flight control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett R Aiello
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332, GA, USA; School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332, GA, USA
| | | | - Alison I Weber
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, WA, USA
| | - Tanvi Deora
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, WA, USA
| | - Simon Sponberg
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332, GA, USA; School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332, GA, USA.
| | - Bingni W Brunton
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, WA, USA
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19
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Wing shape differences along a migration route of the long-distance migrant Globe Skimmer Dragonfly Pantala flavescens. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467421000444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
AbstractAnimals which migrate by flying should be subject to selection for optimal wing characteristics that maximize energy efficiency during migration. We investigated wing shape and wing area variation in the Globe Skimmer Dragonfly Pantala flavescens, which has the longest known migration of any insect. Wing shape and wing area differences between individuals in southern Peninsular India, and migrating individuals at a stop-over site on the Maldives, were compared. Results suggest that individuals which successfully reached the Maldives, on their way from India to Africa, had a broader wing base and an overall more slender wing shape than individuals in southern India. Contrary to our expectations, wing area did not differ significantly in most of our comparisons between southern India and the Maldives, suggesting that wing shape is more important than wing area for successful migration in P. flavescens. The results provide indirect evidence of natural selection on wing shape in a migrating dragonfly.
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20
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Weber AI, Daniel TL, Brunton BW. Wing structure and neural encoding jointly determine sensing strategies in insect flight. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1009195. [PMID: 34379622 PMCID: PMC8382179 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals rely on sensory feedback to generate accurate, reliable movements. In many flying insects, strain-sensitive neurons on the wings provide rapid feedback that is critical for stable flight control. While the impacts of wing structure on aerodynamic performance have been widely studied, the impacts of wing structure on sensing are largely unexplored. In this paper, we show how the structural properties of the wing and encoding by mechanosensory neurons interact to jointly determine optimal sensing strategies and performance. Specifically, we examine how neural sensors can be placed effectively on a flapping wing to detect body rotation about different axes, using a computational wing model with varying flexural stiffness. A small set of mechanosensors, conveying strain information at key locations with a single action potential per wingbeat, enable accurate detection of body rotation. Optimal sensor locations are concentrated at either the wing base or the wing tip, and they transition sharply as a function of both wing stiffness and neural threshold. Moreover, the sensing strategy and performance is robust to both external disturbances and sensor loss. Typically, only five sensors are needed to achieve near-peak accuracy, with a single sensor often providing accuracy well above chance. Our results show that small-amplitude, dynamic signals can be extracted efficiently with spatially and temporally sparse sensors in the context of flight. The demonstrated interaction of wing structure and neural encoding properties points to the importance of understanding each in the context of their joint evolution. In addition to generating forces for flight, insect wings also serve an important role as sensory structures, providing rapid feedback about wing bending that is used to stabilize flight. While much is known about how wing structure affects aerodynamic performance, the effects of wing structure on sensing remain unexplored. Using a computational model of a flapping wing, we examine how sensing strategies depend on wing stiffness and sensor properties. We show that body rotations can be accurately detected with a small number of sensors on the wing across a wide range of conditions. Optimal sensor locations are clustered at either the wing base or wing tip, depending on a combination of wing stiffness and sensor properties. Moreover, sensing performance is robust to multiple kinds of perturbations. Our work provides a basis for understanding how wing structure impacts incoming sensory information during flight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison I. Weber
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Thomas L. Daniel
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Bingni W. Brunton
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
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21
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Peng L, Zheng M, Pan T, Su G, Li Q. Tandem-wing interactions on aerodynamic performance inspired by dragonfly hovering. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:202275. [PMID: 34457328 PMCID: PMC8385352 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.202275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Dragonflies possess two pairs of wings and the interactions between forewing (FW) and hindwing (HW) play an important role in dragonfly flight. The effects of tandem-wing (TW) interactions on the aerodynamic performance of dragonfly hovering have been investigated. Numerical simulations of single-wing hovering without interactions and TW hovering with interactions are conducted and compared. It is found that the TW interactions reduce the lift coefficient of FW and HW by 7.36% and 20.25% and also decrease the aerodynamic power and efficiency. The above effects are mainly caused by the interaction between the vortex structures of the FW and the HW, which makes the pressure of the wing surface and the flow field near the wings change. During the observations of dragonfly flight, it is found that the phase difference (γ) is not fixed. To explore the influence of phase difference on aerodynamic performance, TW hovering with different phase differences is studied. The results show that at γ = 22.5°, dragonflies produce the maximum lift which is more than 20% of the body weight with high efficiency; at γ = 180°, dragonflies generate the same lift as the body weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liansong Peng
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengzong Zheng
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianyu Pan
- Research Institute of Aero-Engine, Beihang University, Beijing 100083, People's Republic of China
| | - Guanting Su
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiushi Li
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
- Research Institute of Aero-Engine, Beihang University, Beijing 100083, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Fluid and Power Machinery, Ministry of Education, Xihua University, Chengdu 610039, People's Republic of China
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22
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Singh B, Yidris N, Basri AA, Pai R, Ahmad KA. Study of Mosquito Aerodynamics for Imitation as a Small Robot and Flight in a Low-Density Environment. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:511. [PMID: 34063196 PMCID: PMC8147425 DOI: 10.3390/mi12050511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In terms of their flight and unusual aerodynamic characteristics, mosquitoes have become a new insect of interest. Despite transmitting the most significant infectious diseases globally, mosquitoes are still among the great flyers. Depending on their size, they typically beat at a high flapping frequency in the range of 600 to 800 Hz. Flapping also lets them conceal their presence, flirt, and help them remain aloft. Their long, slender wings navigate between the most anterior and posterior wing positions through a stroke amplitude about 40 to 45°, way different from their natural counterparts (>120°). Most insects use leading-edge vortex for lift, but mosquitoes have additional aerodynamic characteristics: rotational drag, wake capture reinforcement of the trailing-edge vortex, and added mass effect. A comprehensive look at the use of these three mechanisms needs to be undertaken-the pros and cons of high-frequency, low-stroke angles, operating far beyond the normal kinematic boundary compared to other insects, and the impact on the design improvements of miniature drones and for flight in low-density atmospheres such as Mars. This paper systematically reviews these unique unsteady aerodynamic characteristics of mosquito flight, responding to the potential questions from some of these discoveries as per the existing literature. This paper also reviews state-of-the-art insect-inspired robots that are close in design to mosquitoes. The findings suggest that mosquito-based small robots can be an excellent choice for flight in a low-density environment such as Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balbir Singh
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia; (N.Y.); (A.A.B.)
- Department of Aeronautical and Automobile Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, India
| | - Noorfaizal Yidris
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia; (N.Y.); (A.A.B.)
| | - Adi Azriff Basri
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia; (N.Y.); (A.A.B.)
| | - Raghuvir Pai
- Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, India;
| | - Kamarul Arifin Ahmad
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia; (N.Y.); (A.A.B.)
- Aerospace Malaysia Research Centre, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
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23
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Lai YH, Ma JF, Yang JT. Flight Maneuver of a Damselfly with Phase Modulation of the Wings. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:20-36. [PMID: 33710279 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
We developed a numerical model for four-wing self-propulsion to calculate effectively the flight velocity generated with varied wing motions, which satisfactorily verified biological experiments. Through this self-propulsion model, we analyzed the flight velocity of a damselfly (Matrona cyanoptera) at varied phases. The results show that after phase modulation of the wings, the aerodynamic performance of the forewing (FW) is affected by the incoming flow and an effective angle of attack, whereas that of the hindwing (HW) is dominated by the vortex interaction and induced flow generated by the shed vortex of the FW. Cooperating with the flow interaction, in stable flight, the HW in the lead phase has a larger vertical velocity, whereas the FW in the lead phase has a larger horizontal velocity. Regarding the aerodynamic efficiency, the FW in the lead phase has greater horizontal efficiency, whereas the HW in the lead phase has greater vertical efficiency; the overall efficiency does not vary with the phase. This work interprets that a dragonfly adopts the HW in the lead phase to generate a larger lift, thus supporting the larger body weight, whereas a damselfly adopts the FW in the lead phase to have a greater forward velocity, which can supplement the lack of flapping frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Hsiang Lai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jui-Fu Ma
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jing-Tang Yang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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24
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Fabian ST, Zhou R, Lin HT. Dragondrop: a novel passive mechanism for aerial righting in the dragonfly. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20202676. [PMID: 33563128 PMCID: PMC7893233 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Dragonflies perform dramatic aerial manoeuvres when chasing targets but glide for periods during cruising flights. This makes dragonflies a great system to explore the role of passive stabilizing mechanisms that do not compromise manoeuvrability. We challenged dragonflies by dropping them from selected inverted attitudes and collected 6-degrees-of-freedom aerial recovery kinematics via custom motion capture techniques. From these kinematic data, we performed rigid-body inverse dynamics to reconstruct the forces and torques involved in righting behaviour. We found that inverted dragonflies typically recover themselves with the shortest rotation from the initial body inclination. Additionally, they exhibited a strong tendency to pitch-up with their head leading out of the manoeuvre, despite the lower moment of inertia in the roll axis. Surprisingly, anaesthetized dragonflies could also complete aerial righting reliably. Such passive righting disappeared in recently dead dragonflies but could be partially recovered by waxing their wings to the anaesthetised posture. Our kinematics data, inverse dynamics model and wind-tunnel experiments suggest that the dragonfly's long abdomen and wing posture generate a rotational tendency and passive attitude recovery mechanism during falling. This work demonstrates an aerodynamically stable body configuration in a flying insect and raises new questions in sensorimotor control for small flying systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Huai-Ti Lin
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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25
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Lai YH, Lin YJ, Chang SK, Yang JT. Effect of wing-wing interaction coupled with morphology and kinematic features of damselflies. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2020; 16:016017. [PMID: 33075754 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/abc293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the effect of the wing-wing interaction, which is one key aspect of flight control, of damselflies (Matrona cyanopteraandEuphaea formosa) in forward flight that relates closely to their body morphologies and wing kinematics. We used two high-speed cameras aligned orthogonally to measure the flight motions and adopted 3D numerical simulation to analyze the flow structures and aerodynamic efficiencies. The results clarify the effects of wing-wing interactions, which are complicated combinations of biological morphology, wing kinematics and fluid dynamics. As the amplitude of the hindwing ofM. cyanopterais larger than that ofE. formosa, the effect of the wing-wing interaction is more constructive. Restricted by the body morphology ofE. formosa, the flapping range of the hindwing is below the body. With the forewing in the lead, the hindwing is farther from the forewing, which is not susceptible to the wake of the forewing, and enables superior lift and thrust. Because of the varied rotational motions, the different shed direction of the wakes of the forewings causes the optimal thrust to occur in different wing phases. Because of its biological limitations, a damselfly can use an appropriate phase to fulfill the desired flight mode. The wing-wing interaction is a compromise between lift efficiency and thrust efficiency. The results reveal that a damselfly with the forewing in the lead can have an effective aerodynamic performance in flight. As an application, in the design concept of a micro-aircraft, increasing the amplitude of the hindwing might enhance the wing-wing interaction, thus controlling the flight modes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Hsiang Lai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - You-Jun Lin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Kai Chang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jing-Tang Yang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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26
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Lancer BH, Evans BJE, Wiederman SD. The visual neuroecology of anisoptera. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 42:14-22. [PMID: 32841784 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2020.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Dragonflies belong to the oldest known lineage of flying animals, found across the globe around streams, ponds and forests. They are insect predators, specialising in ambush attack as aquatic larvae and rapid pursuit as adults. Dragonfly adults hunt amidst swarms in conditions that confuse many predatory species, and exhibit capture rates above 90%. Underlying the performance of such a remarkable predator is a finely tuned visual system capable of tracking targets amidst distractors and background clutter. The dragonfly performs a complex repertoire of flight behaviours, from near-motionless hovering to acute turns at high speeds. Here, we review the optical, neuronal, and behavioural adaptations that underlie the dragonflies' ability to achieve such remarkable predatory success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Horatio Lancer
- Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005 South Australia, Australia
| | | | - Steven D Wiederman
- Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005 South Australia, Australia.
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27
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Smith NM, Balsalobre JB, Doshi M, Willenberg BJ, Dickerson AK. Landing mosquitoes bounce when engaging a substrate. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15744. [PMID: 32978447 PMCID: PMC7519040 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72462-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In this experimental study we film the landings of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to characterize landing behaviors and kinetics, limitations, and the passive physiological mechanics they employ to land on a vertical surface. A typical landing involves 1-2 bounces, reducing inbound momentum by more than half before the mosquito firmly attaches to a surface. Mosquitoes initially approach landing surfaces at 0.1-0.6 m/s, decelerating to zero velocity in approximately 5 ms at accelerations as high as 5.5 gravities. Unlike Dipteran relatives, mosquitoes do not visibly prepare for landing with leg adjustments or body pitching. Instead mosquitoes rely on damping by deforming two forelimbs and buckling of the proboscis, which also serves to distribute the impact force, lessening the potential of detection by a mammalian host. The rebound response of a landing mosquito is well-characterized by a passive mass-spring-damper model which permits the calculation of force across impact velocity. The landing force of the average mosquito in our study is approximately 40 [Formula: see text]N corresponding to an impact velocity of 0.24 m/s. The substrate contact velocity which produces a force perceptible to humans, 0.42 m/s, is above 85% of experimentally observed landing speeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M Smith
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA
| | - Jasmine B Balsalobre
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA
| | - Mona Doshi
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA
| | - Bradley J Willenberg
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA
| | - Andrew K Dickerson
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA.
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28
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Alam ME, Wu D, Dickerson AK. Predictive modelling of drop ejection from damped, dampened wings by machine learning. Proc Math Phys Eng Sci 2020; 476:20200467. [PMID: 33071591 DOI: 10.1098/rspa.2020.0467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The high frequency, low amplitude wing motion that mosquitoes employ to dry their wings inspires the study of drop release from millimetric, forced cantilevers. Our mimicking system, a 10-mm polytetrafluoroethylene cantilever driven through ±1 mm base amplitude at 85 Hz, displaces drops via three principal ejection modes: normal-to-cantilever ejection, sliding and pinch-off. The selection of system variables such as cantilever stiffness, drop location, drop size and wetting properties modulates the appearance of a particular ejection mode. However, the large number of system features complicate the prediction of modal occurrence, and the transition between complete and partial liquid removal. In this study, we build two predictive models based on ensemble learning that predict the ejection mode, a classification problem, and minimum inertial force required to eject a drop from the cantilever, a regression problem. For ejection mode prediction, we achieve an accuracy of 85% using a bagging classifier. For inertial force prediction, the lowest root mean squared error achieved is 0.037 using an ensemble learning regression model. Results also show that ejection time and cantilever wetting properties are the dominant features for predicting both ejection mode and the minimum inertial force required to eject a drop.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Erfanul Alam
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Dazhong Wu
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Andrew K Dickerson
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
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29
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Wootton R. The Geometry and Mechanics of Insect Wing Deformations in Flight: A Modelling Approach. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11070446. [PMID: 32709085 PMCID: PMC7412480 DOI: 10.3390/insects11070446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The nature, occurrence, morphological basis and functions of insect wing deformation in flight are reviewed. The importance of relief in supporting the wing is stressed, and three types are recognized, namely corrugation, an M-shaped section and camber, all of which need to be overcome if wings are to bend usefully in the morphological upstroke. How this is achieved, and how bending, torsion and change in profile are mechanically interrelated, are explored by means of simple physical models which reflect situations that are visible in high speed photographs and films. The shapes of lines of transverse flexion are shown to reflect the timing and roles of bending, and their orientation is shown to determine the extent of the torsional component of the deformation process. Some configurations prove to allow two stable conditions, others to be monostable. The possibility of active remote control of wing rigidity by the thoracic musculature is considered, but the extent of this remains uncertain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Wootton
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Address for correspondence 61 Thornton Hill, Exeter EX4 4NR, UK
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30
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Su G, Dudley R, Pan T, Zheng M, Peng L, Li Q. Maximum aerodynamic force production by the wandering glider dragonfly ( Pantala flavescens, Libellulidae). J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb218552. [PMID: 32457065 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.218552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Maximum whole-body force production can influence behavioral outcomes for volant taxa, and may also be relevant to aerodynamic optimization in microair vehicles. Here, we describe a new method for measuring maximum force production in free-flying animals, and present associated data for the wandering glider dragonfly. Flight trajectories were repeatedly acquired from pull-up responses by insects dropped in mid-air with submaximal loads attached beneath the center of body mass. Forces were estimated from calculations of the maximum time-averaged acceleration through time, and multiple estimates were obtained per individual so as to statistically facilitate approximation of maximum capacity through use of the Weibull distribution. On a group level, wandering glider dragonflies were here estimated to be capable of producing total aerodynamic force equal to ∼4.3 times their own body weight, a value which significantly exceeds earlier estimates made for load-lifting dragonflies, and also for other volant taxa in sustained vertical load-lifting experiments. Maximum force production varied isometrically with body mass. Falling and recovery flight with submaximal load represents a new context for evaluating limits to force production by flying animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanting Su
- National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Aero-Engine Aero-Thermodynamics, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Robert Dudley
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Republic of Panama
| | - Tianyu Pan
- National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Aero-Engine Aero-Thermodynamics, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Mengzong Zheng
- National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Aero-Engine Aero-Thermodynamics, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Liansong Peng
- National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Aero-Engine Aero-Thermodynamics, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Qiushi Li
- National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Aero-Engine Aero-Thermodynamics, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
- Key Laboratory of Fluid and Power Machinery, Xihua University, Chengdu 610039, China
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31
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Experimental method for 3D reconstruction of Odonata wings (methodology and dataset). PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232193. [PMID: 32348334 PMCID: PMC7190169 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect wings are highly evolved structures with aerodynamic and structural properties that are not fully understood or systematically modeled. Most species in the insect order Odonata have permanently deployed high aspect ratio wings. Odonata have been documented to exhibit extraordinary flight performance and a wide range of interesting flight behaviors that rely on agility and efficiency. The characteristic three-dimensional corrugated structures of these wings have been observed and modeled for a small number of species, with studies showing that corrugations can provide significant aerodynamic and structural advantages. Comprehensive museum collections are the most practical source of Odonata wing, despite the risk of adverse effects caused by dehydration and preservation of specimens. Museum specimens are not to be handled or damaged and are best left undisturbed in their display enclosures. We have undertaken a systematic process of scanning, modeling, and post-processing the wings of over 80 Odonata species using a novel and accurate method and apparatus we developed for this purpose. The method allows the samples to stay inside their glass cases if necessary and is non-destructive. The measurements taken have been validated against micro-computed tomography scanning and against similar-sized objects with measured dimensions. The resulting publicly available dataset will allow aeronautical analysis of Odonata aerodynamics and structures, the study of the evolution of functional structures, and research into insect ecology. The technique is useable for other orders of insects and other fragile samples.
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32
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Shumway N, Gabryszuk M, Laurence S. The impact of dragonfly wing deformations on aerodynamic performance during forward flight. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2020; 15:026005. [PMID: 31747648 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ab597e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Bulk wing kinematics and wing deformations of free-flying dragonflies of the species Pachydiplax longipennis were measured in a controlled environment. Both upright and inverted straight flights were recorded and analyzed. The inverted dragonflies exhibited similar bulk kinematics to the upright specimens in the global frame, but wing deformations were generally consistent in the body-relative frame. The deformations primarily comprised camber during the body-relative downstroke and twist during the body-relative upstroke. Based on these data, models were developed to incorporate the measured kinematics and deformations into computational fluid dynamics simulations. Both isolated and tandem wings were simulated (rigid and deforming in each case), allowing the effects of deformations and wing-wing interactions to be examined independently. During the upstroke the addition of deformation reduced flow separation on the outboard sections of the wing, whereas the impact of the deformation during the downstroke was found to be dependent on the wing kinematics. The simulations of tandem wings indicated that they produce more force than isolated wings, but the wing deformations reduced the impact of this wing-wing interaction. The changes in average lift and thrust induced by the wing deformations were relatively minor and dependent on the flight orientation, but the aerodynamic efficiency of the deforming wings was significantly higher than that of the rigid wings for all examined cases, including the inverted flights for which the deformations were in the opposite (global) sense to the upright flights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Shumway
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States of America
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33
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Di Luca M, Mintchev S, Su Y, Shaw E, Breuer K. A bioinspired Separated Flow wing provides turbulence resilience and aerodynamic efficiency for miniature drones. Sci Robot 2020; 5:5/38/eaay8533. [PMID: 33022594 DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.aay8533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Small-scale drones have enough sensing and computing power to find use across a growing number of applications. However, flying in the low-Reynolds number regime remains challenging. High sensitivity to atmospheric turbulence compromises vehicle stability and control, and low aerodynamic efficiency limits flight duration. Conventional wing designs have thus far failed to address these two deficiencies simultaneously. Here, we draw inspiration from nature's small flyers to design a wing with lift generation robust to gusts and freestream turbulence without sacrificing aerodynamic efficiency. This performance is achieved by forcing flow separation at the airfoil leading edge. Water and wind tunnel measurements are used to demonstrate the working principle and aerodynamic performance of the wing, showing a substantial reduction in the sensitivity of lift force production to freestream turbulence, as compared with the performance of an Eppler E423 low-Reynolds number wing. The minimum cruise power of a custom-built 104-gram fixed-wing drone equipped with the Separated Flow wing was measured in the wind tunnel indicating an upper limit for the flight time of 170 minutes, which is about four times higher than comparable existing fixed-wing drones. In addition, we present scaling guidelines and outline future design and manufacturing challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Di Luca
- School of Engineering, Brown University, 182 Hope Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
| | - Stefano Mintchev
- Institute of Microengineering, School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Yunxing Su
- School of Engineering, Brown University, 182 Hope Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Eric Shaw
- School of Engineering, Brown University, 182 Hope Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Kenneth Breuer
- School of Engineering, Brown University, 182 Hope Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA
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34
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Bode-Oke AT, Zeyghami S, Dong H. Flying in reverse: kinematics and aerodynamics of a dragonfly in backward free flight. J R Soc Interface 2019; 15:rsif.2018.0102. [PMID: 29950513 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2018.0102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we investigated the backward free flight of a dragonfly, accelerating in a flight path inclined to the horizontal. The wing and body kinematics were reconstructed from the output of three high-speed cameras using a template-based subdivision surface reconstruction method, and numerical simulations using an immersed boundary flow solver were conducted to compute the forces and visualize the flow features. During backward flight, the dragonfly maintained an upright body posture of approximately 90° relative to the horizon. The upright body posture was used to reorient the stroke plane and the flight force in the global frame; a mechanism known as 'force vectoring' which was previously observed in manoeuvres of other flying animals. In addition to force vectoring, we found that while flying backward, the dragonfly flaps its wings with larger angles of attack in the upstroke (US) when compared with forward flight. Also, the backward velocity of the body in the upright position enhances the wings' net velocity in the US. The combined effect of the angle of attack and wing net velocity yields large aerodynamic force generation in the US, with the average magnitude of the force reaching values as high as two to three times the body weight. Corresponding to these large forces was the presence of a strong leading edge vortex (LEV) at the onset of US which remained attached up until wing reversal. Finally, wing-wing interaction was found to enhance the aerodynamic performance of the hindwings (HW) during backward flight. Vorticity from the forewings' trailing edge fed directly into the HW LEV to increase its circulation and enhance force production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayodeji T Bode-Oke
- Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | - Samane Zeyghami
- Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | - Haibo Dong
- Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
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35
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Lohmann AC, Corcoran AJ, Hedrick TL. Dragonflies use underdamped pursuit to chase conspecifics. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:222/11/jeb190884. [PMID: 31186342 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.190884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Pursuit is a common behavior exhibited by animals chasing prey, competitors and potential mates. Because of their speed and maneuverability, dragonflies are frequently studied as a model system for biological pursuit. Most quantitative studies have focused on prey pursuits in captive environments. To determine whether a different pursuit strategy is used when chasing conspecifics of nearly equal speed and agility, we recorded 3D flight trajectories from nine territorial chases between male Erythemis simplicicollis dragonflies in natural field conditions. During chases, dragonflies used an interception strategy with an unusually high-magnitude gain (k=-10.03 s-1 horizontal; -8.86 s-1 vertical) and short time delay (τ=50 ms). The product kτ determines how aggressively a pursuer corrects course to achieve interception. Previous studies of prey pursuit have found kτ values close to -1/e (-0.37), the time-optimal value for achieving pursuit without overshooting. However, we found that dragonflies chasing conspecifics use more negative kτ (-0.50 horizontal; -0.44 vertical), resulting in pursuits with a high degree of overshooting (i.e. moving past the target and alternating position from side to side). We confirmed via simulation that the observed gain and delay produce overshooting. We propose that overshooting is an adaptive feature of conspecific chases that can be achieved with only slight modification of the strategy used for intercepting prey. Overshooting might help avoid potentially damaging collisions while exhibiting the pursuing animal's flight performance and competitive ability. Repeated close approaches might also evoke evasive responses from the other dragonfly, effectively herding the competitor out of the territory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda C Lohmann
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA .,Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
| | - Aaron J Corcoran
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
| | - Tyson L Hedrick
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
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36
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May ML. Odonata: Who They Are and What They Have Done for Us Lately: Classification and Ecosystem Services of Dragonflies. INSECTS 2019; 10:E62. [PMID: 30823469 PMCID: PMC6468591 DOI: 10.3390/insects10030062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2019] [Revised: 02/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) are well-known but often poorly understood insects. Their phylogeny and classification have proved difficult to understand but, through use of modern morphological and molecular techniques, is becoming better understood and is discussed here. Although not considered to be of high economic importance, they do provide esthetic/spiritual benefits to humans, and may have some impact as predators of disease vectors and agricultural pests. In addition, their larvae are very important as intermediate or top predators in many aquatic ecosystems. More recently, they have been the objects of study that have yielded new information on the mechanics and control of insect flight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael L May
- Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
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37
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Bomphrey RJ, Godoy-Diana R. Insect and insect-inspired aerodynamics: unsteadiness, structural mechanics and flight control. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2018; 30:26-32. [PMID: 30410869 PMCID: PMC6218012 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2018.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Flying insects impress by their versatility and have been a recurrent source of inspiration for engineering devices. A large body of literature has focused on various aspects of insect flight, with an essential part dedicated to the dynamics of flapping wings and their intrinsically unsteady aerodynamic mechanisms. Insect wings flex during flight and a better understanding of structural mechanics and aeroelasticity is emerging. Most recently, insights from solid and fluid mechanics have been integrated with physiological measurements from visual and mechanosensors in the context of flight control in steady airs and through turbulent conditions. We review the key recent advances concerning flight in unsteady environments and how the multi-body mechanics of the insect structure-wings and body-are at the core of the flight control question. The issues herein should be considered when applying bio-informed design principles to robotic flapping wings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bomphrey
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ramiro Godoy-Diana
- Physique et Mécanique des Milieux Hétérogènes laboratory (PMMH), CNRS, ESPCI Paris – PSL Research University, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
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38
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Hefler C, Qiu H, Shyy W. Aerodynamic characteristics along the wing span of a dragonfly Pantala flavescens. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 221:jeb.171199. [PMID: 30108128 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.171199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the characteristics of interwing aerodynamic interactions across the span of the high aspect ratio, flexible wings of dragonflies under tethered and free-flying conditions. This revealed that the effects of the interactions on the hindwings vary across four spanwise regions. (i) Close to the wing root, a trailing-edge vortex (TEV) is formed by each stroke, while the formation of a leading-edge vortex (LEV) is limited by the short translational distance of the hindwing and suppressed by the forewing-induced flow. (ii) In the region away from the wing root but not quite up to midspan, the formation of the hindwing LEV is influenced by that of the forewing LEV. This vortex synergy can increase the circulation of the hindwing LEV in the corresponding cross-section by 22% versus that of the hindwing in isolation. (iii) In the region about half-way between the wing root and wing tip there is a transition dominated by downwash from the forewing resulting in flow attached to the hindwing. (iv) A LEV is developed in the remaining, outer region of the wing at the end of a stroke when the hindwing captures the vortex shed by the forewing. The interaction effects depend not only on the wing phasing but also on the flapping offset and flight direction. The aerodynamics of the hindwings vary substantially from the wing root to the wing tip. For a given phasing, this spanwise variation in the aerodynamics can be exploited in the design of artificial wings to achieve greater agility and higher efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Csaba Hefler
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Huihe Qiu
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Wei Shyy
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
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39
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Davidovich H, Ribak G. Loaded flight in male Ischnura elegans and its relationship to copulatory flight. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 110:44-56. [PMID: 30176246 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2018.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Copulation in the blue-tailed damselfly (Ischnura elegans) can last several hours, during which the pair may fly together in the 'wheel position' with both insects flapping their wings. Previous studies have suggested that during flight in copula, the male increases its power output while the female decreases it. Consequently, the male must support some of the female's body weight in the air. We tested the hypothesis that female body mass places a biomechanical constraint on the ability of smaller males to mate with larger females by attaching weights to male damselflies and analyzing their wing motion and force exerted using high-speed cameras. Males flying with an added load exerted extra forces equivalent to 157% of their body weight. Males flying in the mating wheel position with females whose wings were clipped bore a similar weight and were barely able to fly. To fly with an added load, males increased their wing-flapping frequency and amplitude, reaching values of mean wing tip flapping speed that were 1.9-fold higher than that in solitary flight. Our experiments indicate that although males would be able to fly briefly with the added weight of a non-responsive female, the flight performance of the pair would be severely compromised without the female contributing effort to the joint flight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilla Davidovich
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, POB 39040, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Gal Ribak
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, POB 39040, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel; The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, POB 39040, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel.
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40
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Blanke A. Analysis of modularity and integration suggests evolution of dragonfly wing venation mainly in response to functional demands. J R Soc Interface 2018; 15:20180277. [PMID: 30158178 PMCID: PMC6127186 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2018.0277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Insect wings show a high variability in wing venation. Selection for function, developmental pathways and phylogeny likely influenced wing vein diversification, however, quantitative data to estimate these influences and their interplay are missing. Here, it is tested how dragonfly wing vein configuration is influenced by functional demands, development, phylogeny and allometry using the concepts of modularity and integration. In an evolutionary context, modules are sets of characters that evolve in relative independence to other characters, while integration refers to a high degree of association between subparts of a structure. Results show allometric and phylogenetic signal in the wing shape variation, however, patterns of integration and modularity are not influenced by these two factors. Overall, dragonfly wings are highly integrated structures with almost no modular signal. Configuration changes in one wing vein or wing area thus influence wing shape as a whole. Moreover, the fore- and hindwings correlate with each other in their evolutionary shape variation supporting biomechanical data of wing interdependence. Despite the overall high degree of evolutionary integration, functional hypotheses of modularity could be confirmed for two wing areas, the arculus-triangle complex at the base of the wing which is responsible for passive wing folding especially during flapping flight and the location of the pterostigma, a coloured wing cell which is more heavy that other wing cells and passively regulates wing pitch as well as critical flight speeds during gliding. Although evolving as distinct modules, these specific vein regions also show high integration and evolve at the same rates like the whole wing which suggests an influence of these structures on the shape evolution of the rest of the wing. Their biomechanical role as passive regulators of wing corrugation and wing pitch suggests that these structures decisively influenced the evolution of advanced modern flight styles and explains their retention once they had evolved early within the lineage Odonatoptera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Blanke
- Institute of Zoology, Biocenter Cologne, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, 50674 Köln, Germany
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41
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Gebru A, Jansson S, Ignell R, Kirkeby C, Prangsma JC, Brydegaard M. Multiband modulation spectroscopy for the determination of sex and species of mosquitoes in flight. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2018; 11:e201800014. [PMID: 29508537 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.201800014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
We present a dual-wavelength polarimetric measurement method to distinguish species and sexes of disease transmitting mosquitoes in flight. By measuring co- and de-polarized backscattered light at 808 and 1550 nm, the degree of linear polarization, wingbeat frequency, reflectance, spectral ratio and glossiness of mosquitoes can be retrieved. Body and wing contributions to these signals can be separated. Whereas the optical cross section is sensitive to the aspect of observation, thus the heading direction of the insect in flight, we demonstrate that polarimetric- and spectral-band ratios are largely invariant to the aspect of observation. We show that wing glossiness, as well as wing- and body-spectral ratios are particularly efficient in distinguishing Anopheles coluzzii and Anopheles arabiensis, 2 closely related species of malaria vectors. Spectral and polarimetric ratios relate to microstructural and melanization features of the wing and body of these species. We conclude that multiband modulation spectroscopy is a useful expansion of the parameter space that can be used to improve the specificity of entomological lidars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alem Gebru
- FaunaPhotonics APS, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Physics, Lund Laser Centre, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Biology, Centre for Animal Movement, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Samuel Jansson
- Department of Physics, Lund Laser Centre, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Biology, Centre for Animal Movement, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Rickard Ignell
- Chemical Ecology Unit, Department of Plant Protection Biology, SLU, Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Carsten Kirkeby
- FaunaPhotonics APS, Copenhagen, Denmark
- National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | | | - Mikkel Brydegaard
- FaunaPhotonics APS, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Physics, Lund Laser Centre, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Biology, Centre for Animal Movement, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Norsk Elektro Optikk AS, Skedsmokorset, Norway
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42
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Dudley R, Pass G. Wings and powered flight: Core novelties in insect evolution. ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2018; 47:319-321. [PMID: 29936299 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2018.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert Dudley
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
| | - Günther Pass
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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43
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Cheeseman S, Owen S, Truong VK, Meyer D, Ng SH, Vongsvivut J, Linklater D, Tobin MJ, Werner M, Baulin VA, Luque P, Marchant R, Juodkazis S, Crawford RJ, Ivanova EP. Pillars of Life: Is There a Relationship between Lifestyle Factors and the Surface Characteristics of Dragonfly Wings? ACS OMEGA 2018; 3:6039-6046. [PMID: 30221231 PMCID: PMC6130794 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.8b00776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Dragonfly wings are of great interest to researchers investigating biomimetic designs for antiwetting and antibacterial surfaces. The waxy epicuticular layer on the membrane of dragonfly wings possesses a unique surface nanoarchitecture that consists of irregular arrays of nanoscale pillars. This architecture confers superhydrophobic, self-cleaning, antiwetting, and antibiofouling behaviors. There is some evidence available that suggests that lifestyle factors may have influenced the evolution of the wing nanostructures and, therefore, the resulting properties of the wings; however, it appears that no systematic studies have been performed that have compared the wing surface features across a range of dragonfly species. Here, we provided a comparison of relevant wing surface characteristics, including chemical composition, wettability, and nanoarchitecture, of seven species of dragonfly from three families including Libellulidae, Aeshnidae, and Gomphidae. The characteristic nanopillar arrays were found to be present, and the chemical composition and the resultant wing surface superhydrophobicity were found to be well-conserved across all of the species studied. However, subtle differences were observed between the height, width, and density of nanofeatures and water droplet bouncing behavior on the wing surfaces. The results of this research will contribute to an understanding of the physical and chemical surface features that are optimal for the design of antiwetting and antibacterial surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Cheeseman
- School
of Science, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, and School of Health
Sciences, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, P.O. Box 218, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia
| | - Stephanie Owen
- School
of Science, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, and School of Health
Sciences, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, P.O. Box 218, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia
| | - Vi Khanh Truong
- School
of Science, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, and School of Health
Sciences, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, P.O. Box 218, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia
| | - Denny Meyer
- School
of Science, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, and School of Health
Sciences, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, P.O. Box 218, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia
| | - Soon Hock Ng
- School
of Science, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, and School of Health
Sciences, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, P.O. Box 218, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia
| | - Jitraporn Vongsvivut
- Infrared
Microspectroscopy Beamline, Australian Synchrotron, 800 Blackburn Road, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
| | - Denver Linklater
- School
of Science, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, and School of Health
Sciences, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, P.O. Box 218, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia
| | - Mark J. Tobin
- Infrared
Microspectroscopy Beamline, Australian Synchrotron, 800 Blackburn Road, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
| | - Marco Werner
- Departament
d’Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat
Rovira i Virgili, 26 Av. dels Paisos Catalans, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Vladimir A. Baulin
- Departament
d’Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat
Rovira i Virgili, 26 Av. dels Paisos Catalans, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Pere Luque
- Museu
de les Terres de l’Ebre, Gran Capità, 34, 43870 Amposta, Spain
| | - Richard Marchant
- Museum Victoria, P.O. Box 666, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
| | - Saulius Juodkazis
- School
of Science, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, and School of Health
Sciences, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, P.O. Box 218, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia
| | - Russell J. Crawford
- School
of Science, College of Science, Engineering and Health, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
| | - Elena P. Ivanova
- School
of Science, College of Science, Engineering and Health, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
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Role of side-slip flight in target pursuit: blue-tailed damselflies (Ischnura elegans) avoid body rotation while approaching a moving perch. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2018; 204:561-577. [PMID: 29666930 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-018-1261-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Revised: 04/08/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Visually guided flight control requires processing changes in the visual panorama (optic-flow) resulting from self-movement relative to stationary objects, as well as from moving objects passing through the field of view. We studied the ability of the blue-tailed damselfly, Ischnura elegans, to successfully land on a perch moving unpredictably. We tracked the insects landing on a vertical pole moved linearly 6 cm back and forth with sinusoidal changes in velocity. When the moving perch changed direction at frequencies higher than 1 Hz, the damselflies engaged in manoeuvres that typically involved sideways flight, with minimal changes in body orientation relative to the stationary environment. We show that these flight manoeuvres attempted to fix the target in the centre of the field of view when flying in any direction while keeping body rotation changes about the yaw axis to the minimum. We propose that this pursuit strategy allows the insect to obtain reliable information on self and target motion relative to the stationary environment from the translational optic-flow, while minimizing interference from the rotational optic-flow. The ability of damselflies to fly in any direction, irrespective of body orientation, underlines the superb flight control of these aerial predators.
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Shepard ELC, Ross AN, Portugal SJ. Moving in a moving medium: new perspectives on flight. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2017; 371:rstb.2015.0382. [PMID: 27528772 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the defining features of the aerial environment is its variability; air is almost never still. This has profound consequences for flying animals, affecting their flight stability, speed selection, energy expenditure and choice of flight path. All these factors have important implications for the ecology of flying animals, and the ecosystems they interact with, as well as providing bio-inspiration for the development of unmanned aerial vehicles. In this introduction, we touch on the factors that drive the variability in airflows, the scales of variability and the degree to which given airflows may be predictable. We then summarize how papers in this volume advance our understanding of the sensory, biomechanical, physiological and behavioural responses of animals to air flows. Overall, this provides insight into how flying animals can be so successful in this most fickle of environments.This article is part of the themed issue 'Moving in a moving medium: new perspectives on flight'.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrew N Ross
- Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Steven J Portugal
- School of Biological Sciences, University of London, Royal Holloway, Egham, UK
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Bode-Oke AT, Zeyghami S, Dong H. Aerodynamics and flow features of a damselfly in takeoff flight. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2017; 12:056006. [PMID: 28699620 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/aa7f52] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Flight initiation is fundamental for survival, escape from predators and lifting payload from one place to another in biological fliers and can be broadly classified into jumping and non-jumping takeoffs. During jumping takeoffs, the legs generate most of the initial impulse. Whereas the wings generate most of the forces in non-jumping takeoffs, which are usually voluntary, slow, and stable. It is of great interest to understand how these non-jumping takeoffs occur and what strategies insects use to generate large amount of forces required for this highly demanding flight initiation mode. Here, for the first time, we report accurate wing and body kinematics measurements of a damselfly during a non-jumping takeoff. Furthermore, using a high fidelity computational fluid dynamics simulation, we identify the 3D flow features and compute the wing aerodynamics forces to unravel the key mechanisms responsible for generating large flight forces. Our numerical results show that a damselfly generates about three times its body weight during the first half-stroke for liftoff. In generating these forces, the wings flap through a steeply inclined stroke plane with respect to the horizon, slicing through the air at high angles of attack (45°-50°). Consequently, a leading edge vortex (LEV) is formed during both the downstroke and upstroke on all the four wings. The formation of the LEV, however, is inhibited in the subsequent upstrokes following takeoff. Accordingly, we observe a drastic reduction in the magnitude of the aerodynamic force, signifying the importance of LEV in augmenting force production. Our analysis also shows that forewing-hindwing interaction plays a favorable role in enhancing both lift and thrust production during takeoff.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayodeji T Bode-Oke
- Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, United States of America
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Phillips N, Knowles K, Bomphrey RJ. Petiolate wings: effects on the leading-edge vortex in flapping flight. Interface Focus 2017; 7:20160084. [PMID: 28163876 PMCID: PMC5206603 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2016.0084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The wings of many insect species including crane flies and damselflies are petiolate (on stalks), with the wing planform beginning some distance away from the wing hinge, rather than at the hinge. The aerodynamic impact of flapping petiolate wings is relatively unknown, particularly on the formation of the lift-augmenting leading-edge vortex (LEV): a key flow structure exploited by many insects, birds and bats to enhance their lift coefficient. We investigated the aerodynamic implications of petiolation P using particle image velocimetry flow field measurements on an array of rectangular wings of aspect ratio 3 and petiolation values of P = 1-3. The wings were driven using a mechanical device, the 'Flapperatus', to produce highly repeatable insect-like kinematics. The wings maintained a constant Reynolds number of 1400 and dimensionless stroke amplitude Λ* (number of chords traversed by the wingtip) of 6.5 across all test cases. Our results showed that for more petiolate wings the LEV is generally larger, stronger in circulation, and covers a greater area of the wing surface, particularly at the mid-span and inboard locations early in the wing stroke cycle. In each case, the LEV was initially arch-like in form with its outboard end terminating in a focus-sink on the wing surface, before transitioning to become continuous with the tip vortex thereafter. In the second half of the wing stroke, more petiolate wings exhibit a more detached LEV, with detachment initiating at approximately 70% and 50% span for P = 1 and 3, respectively. As a consequence, lift coefficients based on the LEV are higher in the first half of the wing stroke for petiolate wings, but more comparable in the second half. Time-averaged LEV lift coefficients show a general rise with petiolation over the range tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Phillips
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Kevin Knowles
- Aeromechanical Systems Group, Centre for Defence Engineering, Cranfield University, Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Shrivenham SN6 8LA, UK
| | - Richard J. Bomphrey
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK
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48
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Li C, Dong H. Wing kinematics measurement and aerodynamics of a dragonfly in turning flight. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2017; 12:026001. [PMID: 28059781 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/aa5761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This study integrates high-speed photogrammetry, 3D surface reconstruction, and computational fluid dynamics to explore a dragonfly (Erythemis Simplicicollis) in free flight. Asymmetric wing kinematics and the associated aerodynamic characteristics of a turning dragonfly are analyzed in detail. Quantitative measurements of wing kinematics show that compared to the outer wings, the inner wings sweep more slowly with a higher angle of attack during the downstroke, whereas they flap faster with a lower angle of attack during the upstroke. The inner-outer asymmetries of wing deviations result in an oval wingtip trajectory for the inner wings and a figure-eight wingtip trajectory for the outer wings. Unsteady aerodynamics calculations indicate significantly asymmetrical force production between the inner and outer wings, especially for the forewings. Specifically, the magnitude of the drag force on the inner forewing is approximately 2.8 times greater than that on the outer forewing during the downstroke. In the upstroke, the outer forewing generates approximately 1.9 times greater peak thrust than the inner forewing. To keep the body aloft, the forewings contribute approximately 64% of the total lift, whereas the hindwings provide 36%. The effect of forewing-hindwing interaction on the aerodynamic performance is also examined. It is found that the hindwings can benefit from this interaction by decreasing power consumption by 13% without sacrificing force generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengyu Li
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, United States of America
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49
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Gyulavári HA, Tüzün N, Arambourou H, Therry L, Dévai G, Stoks R. Within-season variation in sexual selection on flight performance and flight-related traits in a damselfly. Evol Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-016-9882-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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