PZT MEMS ACTUATED FLAPPING WINGS FOR INSECTINSPIRED ROBOTICS

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• PZT MEMS ACTUATED FLAPPING WINGS FOR
  INSECT-INSPIRED ROBOTICS
• J.R. Bronson1, J.S. Pulskamp2, R.G. Polcawich2,
  C.M. Kroninger2, and E.D. Wetzel2
• 1Oak Ridge Associated Universities, USA
• 2US Army Research Laboratory, USA

Speaker Wei Chung Chang
2009 / 11 / 10
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ABSTRACT

• microfabricated flapping-wings for
  insect-inspired flying robots.
• developing millimeter-scale robotic platforms
  using thin-film lead zirconium titanate (PZT)
  actuators
• presents experimental results of flapping
  frequency and stroke-amplitude from a set of wing
  designs varying in material composition and
  dimensions.

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INTRODUCTION

• The kinematics of insect flight is generally
  described by three degrees of freedom,
• the stoke amplitude,
• the angle of attack (or pitch),
• the deviation angle.
• The flapping frequency is generally fixed for a
  given insect and varies among species

moth
syrphid flies.
From wikipedia
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Piezoelectric transformer

• It is a type of AC voltage multiplier.
• piezoelectric transformer uses acoustic coupling
  between input and output.
• creating an alternating stress in the bar by the
  inverse piezoelectric effect and causing the
  whole bar to vibrate.
• The vibration frequency typically in the
  100 kilohertz to 1 megahertz range

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Bulk-PZT actuators V.S. Thin-film PZT actuators
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The actuator placement and shape
there are three separate actuators at the base of
the wing.
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FABRICATION
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EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
Static Displacement Measurement
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Frequency Measurement
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Displacement Measurements at Resonance
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CONCLUSIONS

• it is possible to fabricate MEMS flapping-wings
  that can achieve stroke-amplitude and flapping
  frequencies similar to insects
• this technology has great potential to produce
  mm-scale flying robots
• The wing design should be optimized to have the
  structural rigidity values that more closely
  mimic those of insects
• This effort has established the feasibility of
  achieving insect comparable stroke amplitudes

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Thank you for your listening