Dartmouth Events

A biomimetic robotic platform to study flight specializations of bats’

Alireza Ramezani: In this talk, the speaker will present a summary of his recent work on developing an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) with bat morphology called Bat Bot (B2).

Friday, March 2, 2018
3:30pm – 4:30pm
Kemeny Hall 007
Intended Audience(s): Public
Categories: Lectures & Seminars

Abstract:  In this talk, the speaker will present a summary of his recent work on developing an Unmanned
Aerial System (UAS) with bat morphology called Bat Bot (B2). An overview of hardware
development, and a summary of closed-loop flight control design for B2 will be presented. B2
weighs 93 gr and mimics morphological properties of bat wings. Instead of using a large number
of distributed control actuators, a highly stretchable silicone-based membrane wings is
implemented that is controlled at a reduced number of dominant wing joints to best match the
morphological characteristics of bat flight. The dominant joint movements in the bat flight
mechanism are identified and incorporated in B2’s design by means of a series of mechanical
constraints. The continuous surface and elastic properties of bat skin under wing morphing are
realized by an ultrathin (56 micron) membranous skin that covers the skeleton of the morphing
wings.

Additionally, the speaker will present a brief overview of his future research vision. This talk is
liberally illustrated with graphics and videos that explain and support the speaker’s underlying
ideas.

Bio:  Alireza Ramezani is a postdoctoral researcher at Caltech’s Devision of Engineering and Applied
Science (EAS). He received his Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of
Michigan in 2013. He received his M.S. and B.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from ETH
Zurich and Iran University of Science and Technology in 2010 and 2007. His research interest
lies at the intersection of articulated robot locomotion (aerial and terrestrial) and applied
nonlinear control theory.

For more information, contact:
Sandra Hall

Events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.