To improve the state-of-the-art of robotic birds, some form of flow sensing needs to be incorporated in the wings. Although the aerodynamics of bird flight is very complex, there are some nonlinear aerodynamic effects that can be measured to get some information (e.g. the reversal of the air flow on top of the wing surface when the wing makes a steep angle with respect to the flow during flapping).
In a previous assignment it was shown that a 3D-printed strip can move and deform due to these nonlinear effects on a static wing and be sensorized by means of 3D-printing. For this assignment we want to improve the sensor and possibly test it on a flapping wing as well.
Therefore, the goal of this assignment is to study the operation of a qualitative flow sensor through theory and experiments with 3D printing as a manufacturing method. The assignment includes:
- Study the basics of the fluid-structure interaction of the sensor
- Explore and manufacture designs by means of 3D-printing
- Experimentally test the performance of the sensors in a wind tunnel