Nakata, T and Phillips, N and Simões, P and Russell, I J and Cheney, J A and Walker, S M and Bomphrey, R J (2020) Aerodynamic imaging by mosquitoes inspires a surface detector for autonomous flying vehicles. Science, 368 (6491). pp. 634-637. ISSN 0036-8075
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12659_Aerodynamic-imaging-by-mosquitoes-inspires-a-surface-detector-for-autonomous-flying-vehicles_Accepted.pdf - Accepted Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (2MB) | Preview |
Abstract
Some flying animals use active sense to perceive and avoid obstacles. Nocturnal mosquitoes exhibit a behavioral response to divert away from surfaces when vision is unavailable, indicating a short-range, mechanosensory collision avoidance mechanism. We suggest this behavior is mediated by perceiving modulations of their self-induced airflow patterns as they enter ground or wall effect. We use computational fluid dynamics simulations of low-altitude and near-wall flights, based on in vivo high-speed kinematic measurements, to quantify changes in the self-generated pressure and velocity cues at the sensitive, mechanosensory, antennae. We validated the principle that encoding aerodynamic information can enable collision avoidance using a quadcopter with a sensory system inspired by the mosquito. Such low power sensing systems have major potential for future, safer, rotorcraft control systems.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| RVC Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaz9634 |
| Departments: | Comparative Biomedical Sciences |
| Research Programmes: | Structure and Motion Lab |
| Depositing User: | Michael Murphy |
| Last Modified: | 20 Nov 2020 21:07 |
| URI: | https://researchonline.rvc.ac.uk/id/eprint/12659 |
| Date Deposited: | 24 April 2020 |
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