Events Calendar

AME Department Special Seminar

Speaker: Oscar M. Curet, Postdoctoral Fellow. School of Engineering Brown University. Providence, RI.

Talk Title: Biological Propulsion, Biomimetics, and Flow Control: The Mechanics of Fin Propulsion and a Self-Excited Flapper

Abstract: Swimming and flying animals have a remarkable ability to navigate through complex environments. As they propel themselves, they interact with the surrounding fluid medium. This fluid-animal interaction plays a fundamental factor in how animals actuate their muscle as well as how they have evolved. In order to incorporate biological-based designs into the next generation of underwater or air vehicles, it is crucial to understand the role of fluid dynamics in animal locomotion. In this talk, I will focus on two highly maneuverable animals: knifefish and bats. A knifefish uses an electric field to "see" at night in the Amazon River, and it propels itself using a long ribbon fin to navigate around its complex environment. I will present experimental and computational work that unveils the mechanical basis of fin propulsion and the rich locomotor capability of these fish. In the second part of the talk, I will present a physical model to explore an open and controversial question in the evolution and origin of bat flight: how bats' ancestors could have begun to employ flapping motions in their flight. I explore this question using a simple physical model which captures two key biological features: compliance and camber. The model is composed of a cantilevered flat plate (capturing the compliance) with a hinged trailing flap (modeling the variable camber). For slow wind speeds, the model is stationary, but above a critical wind speed, the wing starts to oscillate due to an aeroelastic instability. A positive angle of attack on the wing results in a positive lift force. Moreover, this lift force is significantly enhanced once the wing starts to oscillate. I will present particle image velocimetry (PIV) data to shed light on the aerodynamics of the self-excited flapping wing and to identify the mechanisms that generate the enhanced lift force. I will also discuss the implications of the results on the evolution of powered biological flight.

Host: Prof. Geoff Spedding

More Info: http://ae-www.usc.edu/seminars/index.shtml#upcoming

Location: Robert Glen Rapp Engineering Research Building (RRB) - 208

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: April Mundy

Event Link: http://ae-www.usc.edu/seminars/index.shtml#upcoming