Insect’s Flight Kinematics And Dynamics: Measuring System, Experiments And Analysis

Insect’s flight kinematics and dynamics measuring system is used to measure the lift force, thrustforce and flight behavior during insect’s flight. The system includes high-speed camera andaerodynamic measurement device which consists of six-axis force sensor, signal conditioning module,data acquisition card, computer and software. The key technology of this measuring system is to makeacquisition synchronously between high-speed camera and aerodynamic measurement device. Thehard wares were effectively combined and acquisition of the force signal was successfully triggeredby software programming in LabVIEW. Combined with the trigger method of high-speed camerasystem, synchronous acquisition between high-speed camera system and mechanical testing systemwas eventually realized. Research of insect’s flight kinematics and dynamics can inspire the design ofmicro bionic flapper.Flight parameters of tethered bamboo beetle (Cyrthotrachilus longipes Drury) were measured byinsect’s flight kinematics and dynamics measuring system, respectively, the lift force, thrust force, thetrajectory of hindwing tip, folding and unfolding of the hindwing were analyzed. The result showsthat the wings’ flapping frequency is64±3Hz, the lift force and thrust force periodically fluctuate.Lift force has two peaks per period. The trajectory of pair hindwing tips forms a closed geometricshape like ‘8’. The lift will be the biggest when the trajectory of pair hindwing tips like ‘8’.Widely used as an execution component of control system, step motor can directly accept digitalsignals and has high precision and accurate positioning. Timely feedback based on sensor data forprecise control of step motor is essential in a variety of control system. According to onemultifunctional device for adhesion and friction test and based on VC++software platform, this paperalso introduces a drive system which can acquire the force data from a2D force sensor to realize thefeedback control of step motor via USB interface.