Events Calendar

Aerodynamics of Nano-Flyers

Daniel WeihsDistinguished ProfessorFaculty of Aerospace Engineering and Autonomous Systems
ProgramTechnion—Israel Institute of TechnologyHaifa, 32000, IsraelABSTRACT:Some of the smallest flying insects have unique comb-like wings, with non-continuous surfaces. These have span lengths of mm size. In this talk, I will analyze the aerodynamics of such surfaces, showing how they can produce lift at Reynolds numbers of o(1). These findings are then used to build and test artificial nano-flyers of mm size wingspan and several generations of such nano-gliders and nano-flyers will be shown and future developments discussed.Distinguished Professor Daniel Weihs of the Technion Faculty of Aerospace Engineering holds the Richmond Chair in Life Sciences at the Technion and is Chairman of the Israel National Committee for Space Research and head of the Technion Autonomous Systems Program. He is a a foreign member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering and Fellow of the American Physical Society.Prof. Weihs received his bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees at Technion from 1964 to 1971. Prof. Weihs worked at the University of Cambridge, England 1971-1973, returned to the Technion as a senior lecturer in 1973; he was appointed full professor in 1983 and distinguished professor (one of only 5 at the Technion) in 2002. Part of the Technion leadership for many years, Prof. Weihs has served as Provost, Dean of the Graduate School and of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Director of the Samuel Neaman Institute for Advanced Studies in Science and Technology and Director of the Asher Space Research Institute.Throughout his career, Prof. Weihs has consulted for the Israeli ministries of Defense, Internal Security, Commerce & Industry, Science, and for public and private organizations in Europe, the United States and Canada, including NASA, NOAA, IBM and Atlas-Copco. He has been on the board of firms such as Israel Aircraft Industries, Beth Shemesh Engines, Israel Limnological and Oceanographic Research Corp, and Teuza-Fairchild VC fund, and of Ben Gurion University and Holon Institute of Technology. He has been a member of the Steering Committee of the Israel Space Agency for 20 years and head of its Scientific Satellite Sub-Committee. He has published more than 140 scientific papers and one book, and has lectured throughout the world on subjects of biofluid dynamics, aerospace engineering and life sciences.

Location: Seaver Science Library, Room 150 (SSL 150)

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: April Mundy