Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States of America.
Bioinspir Biomim. 2017 Sep 26;12(5):055003. doi: 10.1088/1748-3190/aa7ea3.
A novel approach to fabricating and testing artificial insect wings has been developed. Utilizing these new techniques, locally harvested hawk moth (Manduca sexta) forewings are compared to engineered forewings with varying wing structures. A number of small, flexible engineered forewings were fabricated with identical planform size and shape but with variations in camber, ribbing, thickness and composition. A series of static and dynamic assessments compares the forewings in terms of structure and performance. Data from these experiments show that the fabrication method can produce artificial forewings with similar properties to that of M. sexta. Flexural stiffness (EI) data shows a maximum percent difference of 41% between the left and right natural M. sexta forewings, whereas engineered forewings have a maximum percent difference of 18%. When deflection is induced from the ventral side of the forewing, EI values are at least 9.1% higher than when it is induced from the dorsal side. According to simulations, approximately 57% of this difference can be attributed to the camber of the forewings. Fabricated forewings produced comparable amounts of lift to natural M. sexta forewings (1.00 g and 0.96 g at 25 Hz flapping frequency respectively).
已经开发出一种制造和测试人造昆虫翅膀的新方法。利用这些新技术，对当地采集的天蛾（Manduca sexta）前翅与具有不同翼结构的工程前翅进行了比较。制造了许多小而灵活的工程前翅，它们的平面形状和大小相同，但拱度、肋骨、厚度和组成有所不同。一系列静态和动态评估从结构和性能方面比较了前翅。这些实验的数据表明，该制造方法可以生产出具有与 M. sexta 相似特性的人造前翅。弯曲刚度（EI）数据显示，左右天然 M. sexta 前翅之间的最大差异百分比为 41%，而工程前翅的最大差异百分比为 18%。当从前翅的腹侧诱导变形时，EI 值至少比从前翅的背侧诱导时高 9.1%。根据模拟，这种差异的大约 57%可以归因于前翅的拱度。制造的前翅产生的升力与天然 M. sexta 前翅相当（分别为 25 Hz 拍打频率下的 1.00 克和 0.96 克）。
