Events Calendar

AME Department Seminar

Speaker: Attila Bergou, Postdoctoral Researcher. School of Engineering. Brown University. Providence, RI.

Talk Title: How Do Flying Animals Reorient Themselves?

Abstract: The flying ability of animals is spellbinding: they can catch their prey in midair, execute precise maneuvers, sustain flight for incredible amounts of time. For centuries scientists and engineers have toiled to unlock the secrets behind their flight adeptness. This research has lead to many breakthroughs in our understanding of the behavior and force production of fixed and flapping wings and in no small part lead to the invention of the airplane. Despite the centuries of research, and many breakthroughs, fundamental aspects of animal flight still elude understanding. One domain with surprising gaps in knowledge is how animals actuate and control flight maneuvers.

Here, I will present experimental and computational work showing the mechanisms behind flight maneuvers performed by two decidedly distinct flyers: fruit flies, and bats. In particular, we analyze how these animals reorient themselves in the air. Our organismal experiments, and novel motion tracking algorithms allow us to reconstruct the subtle wing and body kinematics of these animals at a level of detail previously unavailable. From these intricate kinematics, and morphological measurements, we build detailed dynamical models to infer the surprising mechanisms behind these maneuvers.


Host: Prof. Geoff Spedding

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

Location: Seaver Science Library (SSL) - 150

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: April Mundy

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