U.S.-Korea Planning Visit: Collaborations in Insect Flight Research

Drexel University, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

This U.S.-Korea Planning Visit program will support an integrated investigation of the mechanics and control of beetle flight, using Allomyrina dichotoma as a model organism. The objective of the proposed research project is to understand the fundamental scientific principles that elucidate the wing folding/unfolding mechanism and govern the wing-wing interaction between the elytron and hind wing of a beetle during free-hovering flight, as well as to demonstrate the enabling technologies necessary to incorporate wing folding/unfolding mechanisms into flapping wing micro aerial vehicles. The project brings together an interdisciplinary team of entomologists, fluid mechanicians, material scientists, roboticists, and aeronautic engineers from Korea and the U.S. Korean researchers will not only demonstrate their research capability during collaborative experiments in Konkuk University, but also arrange visits to their colleagues? laboratories for more collaboration potential. In particular, they will arrange the visits to the laboratories in different disciplines, so the proposed research project can create more multi-disciplinary research efforts. Undergraduate students and Ph.D. students at Drexel University will join the proposed research in order to be trained to master many state-of-the-art techniques such as direct linear transformation techniques and three-dimensional particle image velocimetry. The project will have intensive outreach components, including (i) ?Aerodynamics of Insect Flight? workshop at Konkuk Univeristy and (ii) active recruitment and training of women and under-represented minority engineers by leveraging and expanding proven program already in place at Drexel (Hess Honors Scholarship Program). This project will bring relevant biomimetics, aerodynamics, and material science into hands-on research experience of undergraduate engineering students as well as develop and test a set of biologically inspired systems for continued international collaboration.