1
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Gupta S, Cribellier A, Poda SB, Roux O, Muijres FT, Riffell JA. Multisensory integration in Anopheles mosquito swarms: The role of visual and acoustic information in mate tracking and collision avoidance. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.18.590128. [PMID: 38712209 PMCID: PMC11071295 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.18.590128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Male mosquitoes form aerial aggregations, known as swarms, to attract females and maximize their chances of finding a mate. Within these swarms, individuals must be able to recognize potential mates and navigate the dynamic social environment to successfully intercept a mating partner. Prior research has almost exclusively focused on the role of acoustic cues in mediating the male mosquito's ability to recognize and pursue flying females. However, the role of other sensory modalities in this behavior has not been explored. Moreover, how males avoid collisions with one another in the dense swarm while pursuing females remains poorly understood. In this study, we combined free-flight and tethered flight simulator experiments to demonstrate that swarming Anopheles coluzzii mosquitoes integrate visual and acoustic information to track conspecifics and avoid collisions. Our tethered experiments revealed that acoustic stimuli gated mosquito steering responses to visual objects simulating nearby mosquitoes, especially in males that exhibited attraction to visual objects in the presence of female flight tones. Additionally, we observed that visual cues alone could trigger changes in mosquitoes' wingbeat amplitude and frequency. These findings were corroborated by our free-flight experiments, which revealed that mosquitoes modulate their flight responses to nearby conspecifics in a similar manner to tethered animals, allowing for collision avoidance within swarms. Together, these results demonstrate that both males and females integrate multiple sensory inputs to mediate swarming behavior, and for males, the change in flight kinematics in response to multimodal cues allows them to simultaneously track females while avoiding collisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saumya Gupta
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Antoine Cribellier
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, De Elst 1, 6708 WD, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Serge B. Poda
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, De Elst 1, 6708 WD, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS), Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Olivier Roux
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS), Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
- MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Florian T. Muijres
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, De Elst 1, 6708 WD, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Jeffrey A. Riffell
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
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2
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Yang L, Deng H, Hu K, Ding X. Clap-and-Fling Mechanism of Climbing-Flight Coccinella Septempunctata. Biomimetics (Basel) 2024; 9:282. [PMID: 38786492 PMCID: PMC11117773 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics9050282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Previous studies on the clap-fling mechanism have predominantly focused on the initial downward and forward phases of flight in miniature insects, either during hovering or forward flight. However, this study presents the first comprehensive kinematic data of Coccinella septempunctata during climbing flight. It reveals, for the first time, that a clap-and-fling mechanism occurs during the initial upward and backward phase of the hind wings' motion. This discovery addresses the previously limited understanding of the clap-and-fling mechanism by demonstrating that, during the clap motion, the leading edges of beetle's wings come into proximity to form a figure-eight shape before rotating around their trailing edge to open into a "V" shape. By employing numerical solutions to solve Navier-Stokes (N-S) equations, we simulated both single hind wings' and double hind wings' aerodynamic conditions. Our findings demonstrate that this fling mechanism not only significantly enhances the lift coefficient by approximately 9.65% but also reduces the drag coefficient by about 1.7%, indicating an extension of the applicability range of this clap-and-fling mechanism beyond minute insect flight. Consequently, these insights into insect flight mechanics deepen our understanding of their biological characteristics and inspire advancements in robotics and biomimetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Yang
- Robotics Institute, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China; (L.Y.); (K.H.); (X.D.)
| | - Huichao Deng
- Robotics Institute, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China; (L.Y.); (K.H.); (X.D.)
| | - Kai Hu
- Robotics Institute, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China; (L.Y.); (K.H.); (X.D.)
| | - Xilun Ding
- Robotics Institute, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China; (L.Y.); (K.H.); (X.D.)
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineers, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
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3
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Singh B, Ahmad KA, Murugaiah M, Yidris N, Basri AA, Pai R. Quasi-steady aerodynamic modeling and dynamic stability of mosquito-inspired flapping wing pico aerial vehicle. Front Robot AI 2024; 11:1362206. [PMID: 38774469 PMCID: PMC11107296 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2024.1362206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent exploration in insect-inspired robotics has generated considerable interest. Among insects navigating at low Reynolds numbers, mosquitoes exhibit distinct flight characteristics, including higher wingbeat frequencies, reduced stroke amplitudes, and slender wings. This leads to unique aerodynamic traits such as trailing edge vortices via wake capture, diminished reliance on leading vortices, and rotational drag. This paper shows the energetic analysis of a mosquito-inspired flapping-wing Pico aerial vehicle during hovering, contributing insights to its future design and fabrication. The investigation relies on kinematic and quasi-steady aerodynamic modeling of a symmetric flapping-wing model with a wingspan of approximately 26 mm, considering translational, rotational, and wake capture force components. The control strategy adapts existing bird flapping wing approaches to accommodate insect wing kinematics and aerodynamic features. Flight controller design is grounded in understanding the impact of kinematics on wing forces. Additionally, a thorough analysis of the dynamic stability of the mosquito-inspired PAV model is conducted, revealing favorable controller response and maneuverability at a small scale. The modified model, incorporating rigid body dynamics and non-averaged aerodynamics, exhibits weak stability without a controller or sufficient power density. However, the controller effectively stabilizes the PAV model, addressing attitude and maneuverability. These preliminary findings offer valuable insights for the mechanical design, aerodynamics, and fabrication of RoboMos, an insect-inspired flapping wing pico aerial vehicle developed at UPM Malaysia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balbir Singh
- Department of Aeronautical and Automobile Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Kamarul Arifin Ahmad
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
- Aerospace Malaysia Research Centre, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Manikandan Murugaiah
- Department of Aeronautical and Automobile Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Noorfaizal Yidris
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
- Aerospace Malaysia Research Centre, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Adi Azriff Basri
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Raghuvir Pai
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
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4
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Yoshida M, Fukui T. Numerical Simulation of the Advantages of the Figure-Eight Flapping Motion of an Insect on Aerodynamics under Low Reynolds Number Conditions. Biomimetics (Basel) 2024; 9:249. [PMID: 38667261 PMCID: PMC11047854 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics9040249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In proceeding with the advanced development of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are small flying machines, understanding the flight of insects is important because UAVs that use flight are attracting attention. The figure-eight trajectory of the wing tips is often observed in the flight of insects. In this study, we investigated the more efficient figure-eight motion patterns in generating lift during the hovering motion and the relationship between figure-eight motion and Reynolds number. For this purpose, we compared the ratios of the cycle-averaged lift coefficient to the power coefficient generated from each motion by varying the elevation motion angle, which is the rotational motion that represents the figure-eight motion, and the Reynolds number. The result showed that the motion with a smaller initial phase of the elevation motion angle (φe0≤90°) could generate lift more efficiently at all Reynolds numbers. In addition, the figure-eight motion was more effective when the Reynolds number was low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masato Yoshida
- Department of Master’s Program of Mechanophysics, Kyoto Institute of Technology Matsugasaki Goshokaido-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan;
| | - Tomohiro Fukui
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kyoto Institute of Technology Matsugasaki Goshokaido-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan
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5
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Song F, Yan Y, Sun J. Energy consumption during insect flight and bioinspiration for MAV design: A review. Comput Biol Med 2024; 170:108092. [PMID: 38325218 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.108092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
The excellent biological characteristics of insects provide an important source of inspiration for designing micro air vehicles (MAVs). Insect flight is an incredibly complex and energy-intensive process. Unique insect flight muscles and contraction mechanisms enable flapping at high frequencies. Moreover, the metabolic rate during flight can reach hundreds of times the resting state. Understanding energy consumption during flight is crucial for designing efficient biomimetic aircraft. This paper summarizes the structures and contraction mechanisms of insect flight muscles, explores the underlying metabolic processes, and identifies methods for energy substrate identification and detection, and discusses inspiration for biomimetic MAV design. This paper reviews energy consumption during insect flight, promotes the understanding of insect bioenergetics, and applies this information to the design of MAVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fa Song
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering (Ministry of Education, China), Jilin University, Changchun, 130022, PR China
| | - Yongwei Yan
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering (Ministry of Education, China), Jilin University, Changchun, 130022, PR China
| | - Jiyu Sun
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering (Ministry of Education, China), Jilin University, Changchun, 130022, PR China.
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6
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Panta K, Deng H, Zhang Z, Huang D, Panah A, Cheng B. Touchless underwater wall-distance sensing via active proprioception of a robotic flapper. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2024; 19:026009. [PMID: 38252966 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ad2114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
In this work, we explored a bioinspired method for underwater object sensing based on active proprioception. We investigated whether the fluid flows generated by a robotic flapper, while interacting with an underwater wall, can encode the distance information between the wall and the flapper, and how to decode this information using the proprioception within the flapper. Such touchless wall-distance sensing is enabled by the active motion of a flapping plate, which injects self-generated flow to the fluid environment, thus representing a form of active sensing. Specifically, we trained a long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network to predict the wall distance based on the force and torque measured at the base of the flapping plate. In addition, we varied the Rossby number (Ro, or the aspect ratio of the plate) and the dimensionless flapping amplitude (A∗) to investigate how the rotational effects and unsteadiness of self-generated flow respectively affect the accuracy of the wall-distance prediction. Our results show that the median prediction error is within 5% of the plate length for all the wall-distances investigated (up to 40 cm or approximately 2-3 plate lengths depending on theRo); therefore, confirming that the self-generated flow can enable underwater perception. In addition, we show that stronger rotational effects at lowerRolead to higher prediction accuracy, while flow unsteadiness (A∗) only has moderate effects. Lastly, analysis based on SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) indicate that temporal features that are most prominent at stroke reversals likely promotes the wall-distance prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kundan Panta
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States of America
| | - Hankun Deng
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States of America
| | - Zhiyu Zhang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States of America
| | - Daning Huang
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States of America
| | - Azar Panah
- Division of Engineering, Business & Computing (Berks), The Pennsylvania State University, Reading, PA 19610, United States of America
| | - Bo Cheng
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States of America
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7
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Glass JR, Burnett NP, Combes SA, Weisman E, Helbling A, Harrison JF. Flying, nectar-loaded honey bees conserve water and improve heat tolerance by reducing wingbeat frequency and metabolic heat production. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2311025121. [PMID: 38227669 PMCID: PMC10823226 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311025121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Heat waves are becoming increasingly common due to climate change, making it crucial to identify and understand the capacities for insect pollinators, such as honey bees, to avoid overheating. We examined the effects of hot, dry air temperatures on the physiological and behavioral mechanisms that honey bees use to fly when carrying nectar loads, to assess how foraging is limited by overheating or desiccation. We found that flight muscle temperatures increased linearly with load mass at air temperatures of 20 or 30 °C, but, remarkably, there was no change with increasing nectar loads at an air temperature of 40 °C. Flying, nectar-loaded bees were able to avoid overheating at 40 °C by reducing their flight metabolic rates and increasing evaporative cooling. At high body temperatures, bees apparently increase flight efficiency by lowering their wingbeat frequency and increasing stroke amplitude to compensate, reducing the need for evaporative cooling. However, even with reductions in metabolic heat production, desiccation likely limits foraging at temperatures well below bees' critical thermal maxima in hot, dry conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan R. Glass
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ85281
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY82071
| | - Nicholas P. Burnett
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, CA95616
| | - Stacey A. Combes
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, CA95616
| | - Ethan Weisman
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ85281
| | - Alina Helbling
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ85281
| | - Jon F. Harrison
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ85281
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8
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Li M, Runemark A, Hernandez J, Rota J, Bygebjerg R, Brydegaard M. Discrimination of Hover Fly Species and Sexes by Wing Interference Signals. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2304657. [PMID: 37847885 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202304657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Remote automated surveillance of insect abundance and diversity is poised to revolutionize insect decline studies. The study reveals spectral analysis of thin-film wing interference signals (WISs) can discriminate free-flying insects beyond what can be accomplished by machine vision. Detectable by photonic sensors, WISs are robust indicators enabling species and sex identification. The first quantitative survey of insect wing thickness and modulation through shortwave-infrared hyperspectral imaging of 600 wings from 30 hover fly species is presented. Fringy spectral reflectance of WIS can be explained by four optical parameters, including membrane thickness. Using a Naïve Bayes Classifier with five parameters that can be retrieved remotely, 91% is achieved accuracy in identification of species and sexes. WIS-based surveillance is therefore a potent tool for remote insect identification and surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Li
- Department of Physics, Lund University, Sölvegatan 14c, Lund, 22363, Sweden
| | - Anna Runemark
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, Lund, 22362, Sweden
| | | | - Jadranka Rota
- Biological Museum, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, Lund, 22362, Sweden
| | - Rune Bygebjerg
- Biological Museum, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, Lund, 22362, Sweden
| | - Mikkel Brydegaard
- Department of Physics, Lund University, Sölvegatan 14c, Lund, 22363, Sweden
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, Lund, 22362, Sweden
- Norsk Elektro Optikk, Østensjøveien 34, Oslo, 0667, Norway
- FaunaPhotonics, Støberigade 14, Copenhagen, 2450, Denmark
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9
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Maya R, Lerner N, Ben-Dov O, Pons A, Beatus T. A hull reconstruction-reprojection method for pose estimation of free-flying fruit flies. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb245853. [PMID: 37795876 PMCID: PMC10629692 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms of insect flight requires high-quality data of free-flight kinematics, e.g. for comparative studies or genetic screens. Although recent improvements in high-speed videography allow us to acquire large amounts of free-flight data, a significant bottleneck is automatically extracting accurate body and wing kinematics. Here, we present an experimental system and a hull reconstruction-reprojection algorithm for measuring the flight kinematics of fruit flies. The experimental system can automatically record hundreds of flight events per day. Our algorithm resolves a significant portion of the occlusions in this system by a reconstruction-reprojection scheme that integrates information from all cameras. Wing and body kinematics, including wing deformation, are then extracted from the hulls of the wing boundaries and body. This model-free method is fully automatic, accurate and open source, and can be readily adjusted for different camera configurations or insect species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roni Maya
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Center of Bioengineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Noam Lerner
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Center of Bioengineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Omri Ben-Dov
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Center of Bioengineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Arion Pons
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Center of Bioengineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Tsevi Beatus
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Center of Bioengineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
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10
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Basri EI, Basri AA, Ahmad KA. Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis in Biomimetics Applications: A Review from Aerospace Engineering Perspective. Biomimetics (Basel) 2023; 8:319. [PMID: 37504207 PMCID: PMC10807370 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics8030319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In many modern engineering fields, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been adopted as a methodology to solve complex problems. CFD is becoming a key component in developing updated designs and optimization through computational simulations, resulting in lower operating costs and enhanced efficiency. Even though the biomimetics application is complex in adapting nature to inspire new capabilities for exciting future technologies, the recent CFD in biomimetics is more accessible and practicable due to the availability of high-performance hardware and software with advances in computer sciences. Many simulations and experimental results have been used to study the analyses in biomimetics applications, particularly those related to aerospace engineering. There are numerous examples of biomimetic successes that involve making simple copies, such as the use of fins for swimming or the mastery of flying, which became possible only after the principles of aerodynamics were better understood. Therefore, this review discusses the essential methodology of CFD as a reliable tool for researchers in understanding the technology inspired by nature and an outlook for potential development through simulations. CFD plays a major role as decision support prior to undertaking a real commitment to execute any design inspired by nature and providing the direction to develop new capabilities of technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernnie Illyani Basri
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia;
| | | | - Kamarul Arifin Ahmad
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia;
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11
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Fang YH, Tang CH, Lin YJ, Yeh SI, Yang JT. The Lift Effects of Chordwise Wing Deformation and Body Angle on Low-Speed Flying Butterflies. Biomimetics (Basel) 2023; 8:287. [PMID: 37504175 PMCID: PMC10807088 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics8030287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
This work investigates the effects of body angle and wing deformation on the lift of free-flying butterflies. The flight kinematics were recorded using three high-speed cameras, and particle-image velocimetry (PIV) was used to analyze the transient flow field around the butterfly. Parametric studies via numerical simulations were also conducted to examine the force generation of the wing by fixing different body angles and amplifying the chordwise deformation. The results show that appropriately amplifying chordwise deformation enhances wing performance due to an increase in the strength of the vortex and a more stabilized attached vortex. The wing undergoes a significant chordwise deformation, which can generate a larger lift coefficient than that with a higher body angle, resulting in a 14% increase compared to a lower chordwise deformation and body angle. This effect is due to the leading-edge vortex attached to the curved wing, which alters the force from horizontal to vertical. It, therefore, produces more efficient lift during flight. These findings reveal that the chordwise deformation of the wing and the body angle could increase the lift of the butterfly. This work was inspired by real butterfly flight, and the results could provide valuable knowledge about lift generation for designing microaerial vehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Hung Fang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan; (Y.-H.F.); (C.-H.T.); (Y.-J.L.)
| | - Chia-Hung Tang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan; (Y.-H.F.); (C.-H.T.); (Y.-J.L.)
| | - You-Jun Lin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan; (Y.-H.F.); (C.-H.T.); (Y.-J.L.)
| | - Szu-I Yeh
- Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701401, Taiwan
| | - Jing-Tang Yang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan; (Y.-H.F.); (C.-H.T.); (Y.-J.L.)
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12
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Surfactants alter mosquito's flight and physical condition. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2355. [PMID: 36759534 PMCID: PMC9911776 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29455-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes carry lethal pathogens for humans and hundreds of thousands of people are killed by mosquito-borne diseases every year. Therefore, controlling mosquitoes is essential to protect the lives of people around the world. Insecticides are highly effective in controlling mosquitoes and have been used extensively worldwide. However, they have potentially harmful effects on biodiversity and environment, and some mosquitoes are resistant to insecticide ingredients and survive upon their application. Therefore, there is a demand for a method to control mosquitoes without using conventional insecticide ingredients. Here, we used Aedes albopictus to test whether solutions with low surface tension, particularly surfactant solutions can alter mosquito behavior by spreading over the hydrophobic cuticle of mosquitoes. We found that solutions with low surface tension indeed attached to mosquitoes flying or resting on the wall, and made them fall. In addition, solutions with yet lower surface tension covered the mosquito surface more quickly and widely, knocking down or killing mosquitoes. These results suggest that surfactants such as sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate can be used to alter mosquito behavior without relying on conventional insecticides.
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13
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Dickerson AK, Muijres FT, Pieters R. Using Videography to Study the Biomechanics and Behavior of Freely Moving Mosquitoes. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2023; 2023:84-89. [PMID: 36167673 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.top107676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Female mosquitoes of most species require a blood meal for egg development. When biting a human host to collect this blood meal, they can spread dangerous diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, or dengue. Researchers use videography to study many aspects of mosquito behavior, including in-flight host-seeking, takeoff, and landing behaviors, as well as probing and blood feeding, and more. Here, we introduce protocols on how to use videography to capture and analyze mosquito movements at high spatial and temporal resolution, in two and three dimensions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew K Dickerson
- Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering, University of Tennessee, Tennessee 37996, USA
| | - Florian T Muijres
- Department of Experimental Zoology, Wageningen University, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Remco Pieters
- Department of Experimental Zoology, Wageningen University, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands
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14
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Ben-Dov O, Beatus T. Model-Based Tracking of Fruit Flies in Free Flight. INSECTS 2022; 13:1018. [PMID: 36354842 PMCID: PMC9692569 DOI: 10.3390/insects13111018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Insect flight is a complex interdisciplinary phenomenon. Understanding its multiple aspects, such as flight control, sensory integration, physiology and genetics, often requires the analysis of large amounts of free flight kinematic data. Yet, one of the main bottlenecks in this field is automatically and accurately extracting such data from multi-view videos. Here, we present a model-based method for the pose estimation of free-flying fruit flies from multi-view high-speed videos. To obtain a faithful representation of the fly with minimum free parameters, our method uses a 3D model that includes two new aspects of wing deformation: A non-fixed wing hinge and a twisting wing surface. The method is demonstrated for free and perturbed flight. Our method does not use prior assumptions on the kinematics apart from the continuity of the wing pitch angle. Hence, this method can be readily adjusted for other insect species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omri Ben-Dov
- The Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Center of Bioengineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Tsevi Beatus
- The Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Center of Bioengineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
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15
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Takahashi H. MEMS-Based Micro Sensors for Measuring the Tiny Forces Acting on Insects. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 22:s22208018. [PMID: 36298366 PMCID: PMC9609827 DOI: 10.3390/s22208018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Small insects perform agile locomotion, such as running, jumping, and flying. Recently, many robots, inspired by such insect performance, have been developed and are expected to be smaller and more maneuverable than conventional robots. For the development of insect-inspired robots, understanding the mechanical dynamics of the target insect is important. However, evaluating the dynamics via conventional commercialized force sensors is difficult because the exerted force and insect itself are tiny in strength and size. Here, we review force sensor devices, especially fabricated for measuring the tiny forces acting on insects during locomotion. As the force sensor, micro-force plates for measuring the ground reaction force and micro-force probes for measuring the flying force have mainly been developed. In addition, many such sensors have been fabricated via a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) process, due to the process precision and high sensitivity. In this review, we focus on the sensing principle, design guide, fabrication process, and measurement method of each sensor, as well as the technical challenges in each method. Finally, the common process flow of the development of specialized MEMS sensors is briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidetoshi Takahashi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kouhoku-ku, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan
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16
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Nakata T, Simões P, Walker SM, Russell IJ, Bomphrey RJ. Auditory sensory range of male mosquitoes for the detection of female flight sound. J R Soc Interface 2022; 19:20220285. [PMID: 36000227 PMCID: PMC9399701 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2022.0285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Male mosquitoes detect and localize conspecific females by their flight-tones using the Johnston's organ (JO), which detects antennal deflections under the influence of local particle motion. Acoustic behaviours of mosquitoes and their JO physiology have been investigated extensively within the frequency domain, yet the auditory sensory range and the behaviour of males at the initiation of phonotactic flights are not well known. In this study, we predict a maximum spatial sensory envelope for flying Culex quinquefasciatus by integrating the physiological tuning response of the male JO with female aeroacoustic signatures derived from numerical simulations. Our sensory envelope predictions were tested with a behavioural assay of free-flying males responding to a female-like artificial pure tone. The minimum detectable particle velocity observed during flight tests was in good agreement with our theoretical prediction formed by the peak JO sensitivity measured in previous studies. The iso-surface describing the minimal detectable particle velocity represents the quantitative auditory sensory range of males and is directional with respect to the female body orientation. Our results illuminate the intricacy of the mating behaviour and point to the importance of observing the body orientation of flying mosquitoes to understand fully the sensory ecology of conspecific communication.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Simon M Walker
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Ian J Russell
- Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton, UK
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17
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Bellin N, Calzolari M, Magoga G, Callegari E, Bonilauri P, Lelli D, Dottori M, Montagna M, Rossi V. Unsupervised machine learning and geometric morphometrics as tools for the identification of inter and intraspecific variations in the Anopheles Maculipennis complex. Acta Trop 2022; 233:106585. [PMID: 35787418 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Geometric morphometric analysis was combined with two different unsupervised machine learning algorithms, UMAP and HDBSCAN, to visualize morphological differences in wing shape among and within four Anopheles sibling species (An. atroparvus, An. melanoon, An. maculipennis s.s. and An. daciae sp. inq.) of the Maculipennis complex in Northern Italy. Specifically, we evaluated: 1) wing shape variation among and within species; 2) the consistencies between groups of An. maculipennis s.s. and An. daciae sp. inq. identified based on COI sequences and wing shape variability; and 3) the spatial and temporal distribution of different morphotypes. UMAP detected at least 13 main patterns of variation in wing shape among the four analyzed species and mapped intraspecific morphological variations. The relationship between the most abundant COI haplotypes of An. daciae sp. inq. and shape ordination/variation was not significant. However, morphological variation within haplotypes was reported. HDBSCAN also recognized different clusters of morphotypes within An. daciae sp. inq. (12) and An. maculipennis s.s. (4). All morphotypes shared a similar pattern of variation in the subcostal vein, in the anal vein and in the radio-medial cross-vein of the wing. On the contrary, the marginal part of the wings remained unchanged in all clusters of both species. Any spatial-temporal significant difference was observed in the frequency of the identified morphotypes. Our study demonstrated that machine learning algorithms are a useful tool combined with geometric morphometrics and suggest to deepen the analysis of inter and intra specific shape variability to evaluate evolutionary constrains related to wing functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolò Bellin
- University of Parma, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, Parco Area delle Scienze, 11/A 43124 Parma, Italy.
| | - Mattia Calzolari
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna ''B. Ubertini'' (IZSLER), Brescia, Italy
| | - Giulia Magoga
- Università degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuele Callegari
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna ''B. Ubertini'' (IZSLER), Brescia, Italy
| | - Paolo Bonilauri
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna ''B. Ubertini'' (IZSLER), Brescia, Italy
| | - Davide Lelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna ''B. Ubertini'' (IZSLER), Brescia, Italy
| | - Michele Dottori
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna ''B. Ubertini'' (IZSLER), Brescia, Italy
| | - Matteo Montagna
- Università degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Rossi
- University of Parma, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, Parco Area delle Scienze, 11/A 43124 Parma, Italy
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18
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Characterization of Wingbeat Frequency of Different Taxa of Migratory Insects in Northeast Asia. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13060520. [PMID: 35735856 PMCID: PMC9224674 DOI: 10.3390/insects13060520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Wingbeat frequency (WBF), an important variable in the study of flight biology, is very valuable in identifying migratory behavior. Thus, the WBF of migratory insects in Northeast Asia was detected and analyzed to establish the relationship between WBF and insect morphometrics. The results demonstrated that WBF differed across orders and that morphological variables were closely connected to this observed variation. This study may be helpful for increasing our understanding of flight biology and for developing new methods to identify the species of migrating insects. Abstract The ability to migrate is an important biological trait of insects, and wingbeat frequency (WBF) is a key factor influencing migratory behavior. The WBF of insects has been shown to be species-specific in previous studies; however, there is scant information on variations in WBF among different taxa of migratory insects. In 2018 and 2019, we investigated the relationship between WBF and 12 morphological variables (e.g., body mass, body length, total wing area, etc.) of the main migratory insects (77 species in 3 orders and 14 families) over the Bohai Sea in China. The WBF of migratory insects was negatively correlated with the 12 morphological variables and varied significantly among orders. In migratory lepidopterans, neuropterans, and odonatans, the ranges of WBF were 6.71–81.28 Hz, 19.17–30.53 Hz, and 18.35–38.01 Hz, respectively. Regression models between WBF and connecting morphological variables were established for these three orders. Our findings revealed the relationship between WBF and morphometrics of migratory insects in Northeast Asia, increased our knowledge on the flight biology of migratory insects, and provided a basis for developing morphological and WBF-based monitoring techniques to identify migrating insects.
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19
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Aerodynamic Effects of Ceiling and Ground Vicinity on Flapping Wings. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12084012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The combined ceiling and ground effect on the aerodynamics of a hovering flapping wing is investigated using numerical simulations. In the simulations, the wing was located between the ceiling and the ground. Simulations were carried out for different wall clearances at two Reynolds numbers (Re = 10 and 100). Special efforts were paid to whether there exists aerodynamic coupling between the ceiling effect and the ground effect. At Re = 10, the combined ceiling and ground effect increases the aerodynamic forces monotonically through two effects, namely the narrow-channel effect and the downwash-reducing effect. Additionally, there exists a coupling effect of the ceiling and the ground for the combined case at Re = 10, where the force enhancement of the combined effect is much more significant than the sum of the ceiling-only effect and the ground-only effect. At Re = 100, the combined effect of ceiling and ground causes three non-monotonic force regimes (force enhancement, reduction and recovery) with increasing wall clearance. The narrow-channel effect at Re = 100 leads to a monotonic force trend, while the downwash-reducing effect results in a non-monotonic force trend. The two effects eventually lead to the three force regimes at Re = 100. Unlike the Re = 10 case, the coupling effect at Re = 100 is small.
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20
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Li G, Kolomenskiy D, Liu H, Thiria B, Godoy-Diana R. Hydrodynamical Fingerprint of a Neighbour in a Fish Lateral Line. Front Robot AI 2022; 9:825889. [PMID: 35224003 PMCID: PMC8878980 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2022.825889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
For fish, swimming in group may be favorable to individuals. Several works reported that in a fish school, individuals sense and adjust their relative position to prevent collisions and maintain the group formation. Also, from a hydrodynamic perspective, relative-position and kinematic synchronisation between adjacent fish may considerably influence their swimming performance. Fish may sense the relative-position and tail-beat phase difference with their neighbors using both vision and the lateral-line system, however, when swimming in dark or turbid environments, visual information may become unavailable. To understand how lateral-line sensing can enable fish to judge the relative-position and phase-difference with their neighbors, in this study, based on a verified three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics approach, we simulated two fish swimming adjacently with various configurations. The lateral-line signal was obtained by sampling the surface hydrodynamic stress. The sensed signal was processed by Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), which is robust to turbulence and environmental flow. By examining the lateral-line pressure and shear-stress signals in the frequency domain, various states of the neighboring fish were parametrically identified. Our results reveal that the FFT-processed lateral-line signals in one fish may potentially reflect the relative-position, phase-differences, and the tail-beat frequency of its neighbor. Our results shed light on the fluid dynamical aspects of the lateral-line sensing mechanism used by fish. Furthermore, the presented approach based on FFT is especially suitable for applications in bioinspired swimming robotics. We provide suggestions for the design of artificial systems consisting of multiple stress sensors for robotic fish to improve their performance in collective operation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gen Li
- Center for Mathematical Science and Advanced Technology, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokohama, Japan
- *Correspondence: Gen Li,
| | - Dmitry Kolomenskiy
- Center for Design, Manufacturing and Materials (CDMM), Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Hao Liu
- Graduated School of Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Benjamin Thiria
- Laboratoire de Physique et Mécanique des Milieux Hétérogènes (PMMH), CNRS UMR 7636, ESPCI Paris—PSL University, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Ramiro Godoy-Diana
- Laboratoire de Physique et Mécanique des Milieux Hétérogènes (PMMH), CNRS UMR 7636, ESPCI Paris—PSL University, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Paris, France
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21
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Farisenkov SE, Kolomenskiy D, Petrov PN, Engels T, Lapina NA, Lehmann FO, Onishi R, Liu H, Polilov AA. Novel flight style and light wings boost flight performance of tiny beetles. Nature 2022; 602:96-100. [PMID: 35046578 PMCID: PMC8810381 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04303-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Flight speed is positively correlated with body size in animals1. However, miniature featherwing beetles can fly at speeds and accelerations of insects three times their size2. Here we show that this performance results from a reduced wing mass and a previously unknown type of wing-motion cycle. Our experiment combines three-dimensional reconstructions of morphology and kinematics in one of the smallest insects, the beetle Paratuposa placentis (body length 395 μm). The flapping bristled wings follow a pronounced figure-of-eight loop that consists of subperpendicular up and down strokes followed by claps at stroke reversals above and below the body. The elytra act as inertial brakes that prevent excessive body oscillation. Computational analyses suggest functional decomposition of the wingbeat cycle into two power half strokes, which produce a large upward force, and two down-dragging recovery half strokes. In contrast to heavier membranous wings, the motion of bristled wings of the same size requires little inertial power. Muscle mechanical power requirements thus remain positive throughout the wingbeat cycle, making elastic energy storage obsolete. These adaptations help to explain how extremely small insects have preserved good aerial performance during miniaturization, one of the factors of their evolutionary success. Three-dimensional reconstructions of morphology and flight mechanics of the beetle Paratuposa placentis reveal adaptations that enable extremely small insects to fly at speeds similar to those of much larger insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey E Farisenkov
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Dmitry Kolomenskiy
- Global Scientific Information and Computing Center, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan.,Skoltech Center for Design, Manufacturing and Materials, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Pyotr N Petrov
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Thomas Engels
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Nadezhda A Lapina
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Fritz-Olaf Lehmann
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Ryo Onishi
- Global Scientific Information and Computing Center, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hao Liu
- Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Alexey A Polilov
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia. .,Joint Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Research and Technological Center, Southern Branch, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
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22
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Somers J, Georgiades M, Su MP, Bagi J, Andrés M, Alampounti A, Mills G, Ntabaliba W, Moore SJ, Spaccapelo R, Albert JT. Hitting the right note at the right time: Circadian control of audibility in Anopheles mosquito mating swarms is mediated by flight tones. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabl4844. [PMID: 35020428 PMCID: PMC8754303 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abl4844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Mating swarms of malaria mosquitoes form every day at sunset throughout the tropical world. They typically last less than 30 minutes. Activity must thus be highly synchronized between the sexes. Moreover, males must identify the few sporadically entering females by detecting the females’ faint flight tones. We show that the Anopheles circadian clock not only ensures a tight synchrony of male and female activity but also helps sharpen the males’ acoustic detection system: By raising their flight tones to 1.5 times the female flight tone, males enhance the audibility of females, specifically at swarm time. Previously reported “harmonic convergence” events are only a random by-product of the mosquitoes’ flight tone variance and not a signature of acoustic interaction between males and females. The flight tones of individual mosquitoes occupy narrow, partly non-overlapping frequency ranges, suggesting that the audibility of individual females varies across males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Somers
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
- Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Marcos Georgiades
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
- Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Matthew P. Su
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
- Division of Biological Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
- Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan
| | - Judit Bagi
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
- Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Marta Andrés
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
- Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Alexandros Alampounti
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
- Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Gordon Mills
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
| | - Watson Ntabaliba
- Vector Control Product Testing Unit, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Tanzania
| | - Sarah J. Moore
- Vector Control Product Testing Unit, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Tanzania
- Epidemiology and Public Health Department, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, Basel 4051, Switzerland
| | - Roberta Spaccapelo
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Centro Universitario di Ricerca sulla Genomica Funzionale (C.U.R.Ge.F), University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
- Consorzio Interuniversitario Biotecnologie (CIB) Trieste, Italy
| | - Joerg T. Albert
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
- Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
- Corresponding author.
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23
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Li G, Liu H, Müller UK, Voesenek CJ, van Leeuwen JL. Fishes regulate tail-beat kinematics to minimize speed-specific cost of transport. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211601. [PMID: 34847768 PMCID: PMC8634626 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Energetic expenditure is an important factor in animal locomotion. Here we test the hypothesis that fishes control tail-beat kinematics to optimize energetic expenditure during undulatory swimming. We focus on two energetic indices used in swimming hydrodynamics, cost of transport and Froude efficiency. To rule out one index in favour of another, we use computational-fluid dynamics models to compare experimentally observed fish kinematics with predicted performance landscapes and identify energy-optimized kinematics for a carangiform swimmer, an anguilliform swimmer and larval fishes. By locating the areas in the predicted performance landscapes that are occupied by actual fishes, we found that fishes use combinations of tail-beat frequency and amplitude that minimize cost of transport. This energy-optimizing strategy also explains why fishes increase frequency rather than amplitude to swim faster, and why fishes swim within a narrow range of Strouhal numbers. By quantifying how undulatory-wave kinematics affect thrust, drag, and power, we explain why amplitude and frequency are not equivalent in speed control, and why Froude efficiency is not a reliable energetic indicator. These insights may inspire future research in aquatic organisms and bioinspired robotics using undulatory propulsion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gen Li
- Center for Mathematical Science and Advanced Technology, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), 3173-25, Showa-machi, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Hao Liu
- Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, 1-33, Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba, Japan
| | - Ulrike K Müller
- Department of Biology, California State University, Fresno 2555 E San Ramon Avenue, Fresno, CA 93740, USA
| | - Cees J Voesenek
- Experimental Zoology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, De Elst 1, 6708 WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Johan L van Leeuwen
- Experimental Zoology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, De Elst 1, 6708 WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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24
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Aiello BR, Sikandar UB, Minoguchi H, Bhinderwala B, Hamilton CA, Kawahara AY, Sponberg S. The evolution of two distinct strategies of moth flight. J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20210632. [PMID: 34847789 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Across insects, wing shape and size have undergone dramatic divergence even in closely related sister groups. However, we do not know how morphology changes in tandem with kinematics to support body weight within available power and how the specific force production patterns are linked to differences in behaviour. Hawkmoths and wild silkmoths are diverse sister families with divergent wing morphology. Using three-dimensional kinematics and quasi-steady aerodynamic modelling, we compare the aerodynamics and the contributions of wing shape, size and kinematics in 10 moth species. We find that wing movement also diverges between the clades and underlies two distinct strategies for flight. Hawkmoths use wing kinematics, especially high frequencies, to enhance force and wing morphologies that reduce power. Silkmoths use wing morphology to enhance force, and slow, high-amplitude wingstrokes to reduce power. Both strategies converge on similar aerodynamic power and can support similar body weight ranges. However, inter-clade within-wingstroke force profiles are quite different and linked to the hovering flight of hawkmoths and the bobbing flight of silkmoths. These two moth groups fly more like other, distantly related insects than they do each other, demonstrating the diversity of flapping flight evolution and a rich bioinspired design space for robotic flappers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett R Aiello
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.,School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.,McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Usama Bin Sikandar
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.,Department of Electrical Engineering, Information Technology University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Hajime Minoguchi
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | | | - Chris A Hamilton
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA
| | - Akito Y Kawahara
- McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.,Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA.,Department Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
| | - Simon Sponberg
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.,School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
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25
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Lyu YZ, Sun M. Power requirements for the hovering flight of insects with different sizes. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 134:104293. [PMID: 34389411 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2021.104293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Winged insects vary greatly in size, from tiny wasps (0.015 mg) to large moths (1.6 g). Previous studies on the power requirements of insect flight focused on relatively large insects; those of miniature insects remain relatively unknown. In this study the power requirements of a series of miniature insects were calculated, and changes with size across a range of insect sizes were investigated. Aerodynamic power was computed by numerically solving the Navier-Stokes equation, and inertial power was computed analytically. Comparison analysis was then conducted on the power requirements of miniature and large insects. Despite a 100,000-fold weight difference, the required power per unit insect mass, referred to as mass-specific power, was approximately equal for all the insects examined. This finding is explained as follows. Power is approximately proportional to the product of the wing speed and the wing drag per unit weight (i.e., "drag-to-lift ratio"). When insect size decreased, wing speed decreased (due to reduced wing-length), while wing drag increased (due to increased air-viscosity), resulting in an approximately unchanged mass-specific power. For large or small insects, flight power is derived from the same type of muscles (striated). Assuming that the mean power per unit muscle mass is the same under the same type of muscle, the above size/specific-power relation indicates that the ratio of flight-muscle mass to insect mass is the same for different sized insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhu Lyu
- Ministry-of-Education Key Laboratory of Fluid Mechanics, Institute of Fluid Mechanics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Mao Sun
- Ministry-of-Education Key Laboratory of Fluid Mechanics, Institute of Fluid Mechanics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
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26
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Bellin N, Calzolari M, Callegari E, Bonilauri P, Grisendi A, Dottori M, Rossi V. Geometric morphometrics and machine learning as tools for the identification of sibling mosquito species of the Maculipennis complex (Anopheles). INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2021; 95:105034. [PMID: 34384936 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.105034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Geometric morphometrics allows researchers to use the specific software to quantify and to visualize morphological differences between taxa from insect wings. Our objective was to assess wing geometry to distinguish four Anopheles sibling species of the Maculipennis complex, An. maculipennis s. s., An. daciae sp. inq., An. atroparvus and An. melanoon, found in Northern Italy. We combined the geometric morphometric approach with different machine learning alghorithms: support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), artificial neural network (ANN) and an ensemble model (EN). Centroid size was smaller in An. atroparvus than in An. maculipennis s. s. and An. daciae sp. inq. Principal component analysis (PCA) explained only 33% of the total variance and appeared not very useful to discriminate among species, and in particular between An. maculipennis s. s. and An. daciae sp. inq. The performance of four different machine learning alghorithms using procrustes coordinates of wing shape as predictors was evaluated. All models showed ROC-AUC and PRC-AUC values that were higher than the random classifier but the SVM algorithm maximized the most metrics on the test set. The SVM algorithm with radial basis function allowed the correct classification of 83% of An. maculipennis s. s. and 79% of An. daciae sp. inq. ROC-AUC analysis showed that three landmarks, 11, 16 and 15, were the most important procrustes coordinates in mean wing shape comparison between An. maculipennis s. s. and An. daciae sp. inq. The pattern in the three-dimensional space of the most important procrustes coordinates showed a clearer differentiation between the two species than the PCA. Our study demonstrated that machine learning algorithms could be a useful tool combined with the wing geometric morphometric approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolò Bellin
- University of Parma, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, Parco Area delle Scienze, 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy.
| | - Mattia Calzolari
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna "B. Ubertini" (IZSLER), Brescia, Italy
| | - Emanuele Callegari
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna "B. Ubertini" (IZSLER), Brescia, Italy
| | - Paolo Bonilauri
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna "B. Ubertini" (IZSLER), Brescia, Italy
| | - Annalisa Grisendi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna "B. Ubertini" (IZSLER), Brescia, Italy
| | - Michele Dottori
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna "B. Ubertini" (IZSLER), Brescia, Italy
| | - Valeria Rossi
- University of Parma, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, Parco Area delle Scienze, 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
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Meng X, Ghaffar A, Zhang Y, Deng C. Very low Reynolds number causes a monotonic force enhancement trend for a three-dimensional hovering wing in ground effect. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2021; 16:055006. [PMID: 34243174 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ac1308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This research reports the numerical results of the ground effect trend for a three-dimensional flapping insect wing at a very low Reynolds number (Re = 10). It demonstrates that the ground effect trend at this Re has a 'single force regime,' i.e. the forces only enhance as the ground distance decreases. This phenomenon is unlike the widely expected non-monotonic trend publicized in previous studies for higher Reynolds numbers, that shows 'three force regimes,' i.e. the forces reduce, recover, and also enhance as the ground distance decreases. The force trend in the ground effect correlates to a similar trend in wing-wake interaction or the downwash strength on the wing's head. At very low Re (10), the very large viscosity causes diffused vortices and less advected vortex wake, while at relatively high Re, the vortices are easily separated from the wing and then advected downwards. This different development of the vortex wake caused different force trends for the flapping wing in the ground effect. Furthermore, by examining only the first stroke when there is no vortex wake, we found that the 'ramming effect' enhances the forces on the wing. This effect increases the pressure of the lower wing surface due to the squeezed air between the wing and the ground. The 'ramming effect', combined with the reduced downwash (or wing-wake interaction) effect, causes the force enhancement of the wing near the ground's vicinity. It is further comprehended that the trend is dependent on Re. As the Re is increased, the trend becomes non-monotonic. The effect of varying angles of attack, flapping amplitude and wing planform at very low Re does not change this trend. This ground effect might help insects by enhancing their lift while they hover above the surface. This finding might prove beneficial for developing micro air vehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueguang Meng
- State Key Laboratory for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures, School of Aerospace, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Anas Ghaffar
- State Key Laboratory for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures, School of Aerospace, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures, School of Aerospace, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Chengjian Deng
- State Key Laboratory for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures, School of Aerospace, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, People's Republic of China
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28
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Bayiz YE, Cheng B. State-space aerodynamic model reveals high force control authority and predictability in flapping flight. J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20210222. [PMID: 34343451 PMCID: PMC8331236 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Flying animals resort to fast, large-degree-of-freedom motion of flapping wings, a key feature that distinguishes them from rotary or fixed-winged robotic fliers with limited motion of aerodynamic surfaces. However, flapping-wing aerodynamics are characterized by highly unsteady and three-dimensional flows difficult to model or control, and accurate aerodynamic force predictions often rely on expensive computational or experimental methods. Here, we developed a computationally efficient and data-driven state-space model to dynamically map wing kinematics to aerodynamic forces/moments. This model was trained and tested with a total of 548 different flapping-wing motions and surpassed the accuracy and generality of the existing quasi-steady models. This model used 12 states to capture the unsteady and nonlinear fluid effects pertinent to force generation without explicit information of fluid flows. We also provided a comprehensive assessment of the control authority of key wing kinematic variables and found that instantaneous aerodynamic forces/moments were largely predictable by the wing motion history within a half-stroke cycle. Furthermore, the angle of attack, normal acceleration and pitching motion had the strongest effects on the aerodynamic force/moment generation. Our results show that flapping flight inherently offers high force control authority and predictability, which can be key to developing agile and stable aerial fliers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yagiz E. Bayiz
- Mechanical Engineering Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16801, USA
| | - Bo Cheng
- Mechanical Engineering Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16801, USA
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29
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Lin YJ, Chang SK, Lai YH, Yang JT. Beneficial wake-capture effect for forward propulsion with a restrained wing-pitch motion of a butterfly. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:202172. [PMID: 34457326 PMCID: PMC8385355 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.202172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Unlike other insects, a butterfly uses a small amplitude of the wing-pitch motion for flight. From an analysis of the dynamics of real flying butterflies, we show that the restrained amplitude of the wing-pitch motion enhances the wake-capture effect so as to enhance forward propulsion. A numerical simulation refined with experimental data shows that, for a small amplitude of the wing-pitch motion, the shed vortex generated in the downstroke induces air in the wake region to flow towards the wings. This condition enables a butterfly to capture an induced flow and to acquire an additional forward propulsion, which accounts for more than 47% of the thrust generation. When the amplitude of the wing-pitch motion exceeds 45°, the flow induced by the shed vortex drifts away from the wings; it attenuates the wake-capture effect and causes the butterfly to lose a part of its forward propulsion. Our results provide one essential aerodynamic feature for a butterfly to adopt a small amplitude of the wing-pitch motion to enhance the wake-capture effect and forward propulsion. This work clarifies the variation of the flow field correlated with the wing-pitch motion, which is useful in the design of wing kinematics of a micro-aerial vehicle.
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Affiliation(s)
- You-Jun Lin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Kai Chang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Hsiang Lai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Jing-Tang Yang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
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30
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Sinka ME, Zilli D, Li Y, Kiskin I, Kirkham D, Rafique W, Wang L, Chan H, Gutteridge B, Herreros‐Moya E, Portwood H, Roberts S, Willis KJ. HumBug – An Acoustic Mosquito Monitoring Tool for use on budget smartphones. Methods Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Davide Zilli
- Mind Foundry Ltd Oxford UK
- Department of Engineering Science University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | | | - Ivan Kiskin
- Department of Engineering Science University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | | | - Waqas Rafique
- Department of Engineering Science University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - Lawrence Wang
- Department of Engineering Science University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - Henry Chan
- Department of Engineering Science University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | | | | | | | - Stephen Roberts
- Mind Foundry Ltd Oxford UK
- Department of Engineering Science University of Oxford Oxford UK
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31
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Huang Z, Li S, Jiang J, Wu Y, Yang L, Zhang Y. Biomimetic Flip-and-Flap Strategy of Flying Objects for Perching on Inclined Surfaces. IEEE Robot Autom Lett 2021. [DOI: 10.1109/lra.2021.3070254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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32
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Seo JH, Hedrick TL, Mittal R. Mosquitoes buzz and fruit flies don't-a comparative aeroacoustic analysis of wing-tone generation. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2021; 16:046019. [PMID: 33984852 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ac0120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Crepuscular mosquitoes, which swarm in low light conditions, exhibit a range of adaptations including large aspect-ratio wings, high flapping frequencies and small stroke amplitudes that taken together, facilitate the generation of wing-tones that are well-suited for acoustic communication. In the current study, we employ computational aeroacoustic modeling to conduct a comparative study of wing-tone and flight efficiency in a mosquito (maleCulex) and a similar sized flying insect: a fruit fly (Drosophila). Based on this analysis, we show that pound-for-pound, a mosquito generates wing-tones that are a factor of about 3.4 times more intense than a fruit fly, and the mosquito is more efficient by a factor of about 3.7 in converting mechanical power into acoustic power. The wing-tones for the mosquito are also more tilted in the forward direction, a characteristic that would be more conducive for acoustic signaling during a mate chase. The simulation data also shows that the specific power (mechanical power over mean lift) of the mosquito is nearly equal to that of the fruit fly, indicating that the adaptations that facilitate wing-tone based communication in mosquitoes, do not seem to compromise their flight efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Hee Seo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Tyson L Hedrick
- Depatment of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Rajat Mittal
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
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33
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Kim D, DeBriere TJ, Cherukumalli S, White GS, Burkett-Cadena ND. Infrared light sensors permit rapid recording of wingbeat frequency and bioacoustic species identification of mosquitoes. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10042. [PMID: 33976350 PMCID: PMC8113239 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89644-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Recognition and classification of mosquitoes is a critical component of vector-borne disease management. Vector surveillance, based on wingbeat frequency and other parameters, is becoming increasingly important in the development of automated identification systems, but inconsistent data quality and results frequently emerge from different techniques and data processing methods which have not been standardized on wingbeat collection of numerous species. We developed a simple method to detect and record mosquito wingbeat by multi-dimensional optical sensors and collected 21,825 wingbeat files from 29 North American mosquito species. In pairwise comparisons, wingbeat frequency of twenty six species overlapped with at least one other species. No significant differences were observed in wingbeat frequencies between and within individuals of Culex quinquefasciatus over time. This work demonstrates the potential utility of quantifying mosquito wingbeat frequency by infrared light sensors as a component of an automated mosquito identification system. Due to species overlap, wingbeat frequency will need to integrate with other parameters to accurately delineate species in support of efficient mosquito surveillance, an important component of disease intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongmin Kim
- Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, University of Florida, Vero Beach, FL, USA
| | | | | | - Gregory S White
- Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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34
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Singh B, Yidris N, Basri AA, Pai R, Ahmad KA. Study of Mosquito Aerodynamics for Imitation as a Small Robot and Flight in a Low-Density Environment. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:511. [PMID: 34063196 PMCID: PMC8147425 DOI: 10.3390/mi12050511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In terms of their flight and unusual aerodynamic characteristics, mosquitoes have become a new insect of interest. Despite transmitting the most significant infectious diseases globally, mosquitoes are still among the great flyers. Depending on their size, they typically beat at a high flapping frequency in the range of 600 to 800 Hz. Flapping also lets them conceal their presence, flirt, and help them remain aloft. Their long, slender wings navigate between the most anterior and posterior wing positions through a stroke amplitude about 40 to 45°, way different from their natural counterparts (>120°). Most insects use leading-edge vortex for lift, but mosquitoes have additional aerodynamic characteristics: rotational drag, wake capture reinforcement of the trailing-edge vortex, and added mass effect. A comprehensive look at the use of these three mechanisms needs to be undertaken-the pros and cons of high-frequency, low-stroke angles, operating far beyond the normal kinematic boundary compared to other insects, and the impact on the design improvements of miniature drones and for flight in low-density atmospheres such as Mars. This paper systematically reviews these unique unsteady aerodynamic characteristics of mosquito flight, responding to the potential questions from some of these discoveries as per the existing literature. This paper also reviews state-of-the-art insect-inspired robots that are close in design to mosquitoes. The findings suggest that mosquito-based small robots can be an excellent choice for flight in a low-density environment such as Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balbir Singh
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia; (N.Y.); (A.A.B.)
- Department of Aeronautical and Automobile Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, India
| | - Noorfaizal Yidris
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia; (N.Y.); (A.A.B.)
| | - Adi Azriff Basri
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia; (N.Y.); (A.A.B.)
| | - Raghuvir Pai
- Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, India;
| | - Kamarul Arifin Ahmad
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia; (N.Y.); (A.A.B.)
- Aerospace Malaysia Research Centre, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
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35
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Niese R. Characterizing the hum of hovering animals. eLife 2021; 10:68072. [PMID: 33872138 PMCID: PMC8055268 DOI: 10.7554/elife.68072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The sounds of flying animals, such as the hum of a hummingbird as it hovers, are influenced by the unique forces generated by the flapping of their wings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Niese
- College of Arts and Sciences, Pacific University, Forest Grove, United States
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36
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Walker SM, Taylor GK. A semi-empirical model of the aerodynamics of manoeuvring insect flight. J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20210103. [PMID: 33906387 PMCID: PMC8086888 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Blade element modelling provides a quick analytical method for estimating the aerodynamic forces produced during insect flight, but such models have yet to be tested rigorously using kinematic data recorded from free-flying insects. This is largely because of the paucity of detailed free-flight kinematic data, but also because analytical limitations in existing blade element models mean that they cannot incorporate the complex three-dimensional movements of the wings and body that occur during insect flight. Here, we present a blade element model with empirically fitted aerodynamic force coefficients that incorporates the full three-dimensional wing kinematics of manoeuvring Eristalis hoverflies, including torsional deformation of their wings. The two free parameters were fitted to a large free-flight dataset comprising N = 26 541 wingbeats, and the fitted model captured approximately 80% of the variation in the stroke-averaged forces in the sagittal plane. We tested the robustness of the model by subsampling the data, and found little variation in the parameter estimates across subsamples comprising 10% of the flight sequences. The simplicity and generality of the model that we present is such that it can be readily applied to kinematic datasets from other insects, and also used for the study of insect flight dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon M. Walker
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Graham K. Taylor
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
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37
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Hightower BJ, Wijnings PW, Scholte R, Ingersoll R, Chin DD, Nguyen J, Shorr D, Lentink D. How oscillating aerodynamic forces explain the timbre of the hummingbird's hum and other animals in flapping flight. eLife 2021; 10:63107. [PMID: 33724182 PMCID: PMC8055270 DOI: 10.7554/elife.63107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
How hummingbirds hum is not fully understood, but its biophysical origin is encoded in the acoustic nearfield. Hence, we studied six freely hovering Anna’s hummingbirds, performing acoustic nearfield holography using a 2176 microphone array in vivo, while also directly measuring the 3D aerodynamic forces using a new aerodynamic force platform. We corroborate the acoustic measurements by developing an idealized acoustic model that integrates the aerodynamic forces with wing kinematics, which shows how the timbre of the hummingbird’s hum arises from the oscillating lift and drag forces on each wing. Comparing birds and insects, we find that the characteristic humming timbre and radiated power of their flapping wings originates from the higher harmonics in the aerodynamic forces that support their bodyweight. Our model analysis across insects and birds shows that allometric deviation makes larger birds quieter and elongated flies louder, while also clarifying complex bioacoustic behavior. Anyone walking outdoors has heard the whooshing sound of birdwings flapping overhead, the buzzing sound of bees flying by, or the whining of mosquitos seeking blood. All animals with flapping wings make these sounds, but the hummingbird makes perhaps the most delightful sound of all: their namesake hum. Yet, how hummingbirds hum is poorly understood. Bird wings generate large vortices of air to boost their lift and hover in the air that can generate tones. Further, the airflow over bird wings can be highly turbulent, meaning it can generate loud sounds, like the jets of air coming out of the engines of aircraft. Given all the sound-generating mechanisms at hand, it is difficult to determine why some wings buzz whereas others whoosh or hum. Hightower, Wijnings et al. wanted to understand the physical mechanism that causes animal wings to whine, buzz, hum or whoosh in flight. They hypothesized that the aerodynamic forces generated by animal wings are the main source of their characteristic wing sounds. Hummingbird wings have the most features in common with different animals’ wings, while also featuring acoustically complex feathers. This makes them ideal models for deciphering how birds, bats and even insects make wing sounds. To learn more about wing sounds, Hightower, Wijnings et al. studied how a species of hummingbird called Anna’s hummingbird hums while drinking nectar from a flower. A three-dimensional ‘acoustic hologram’ was generated using 2,176 microphones to measure the humming sound from all directions. In a follow-up experiment, the aerodynamic forces the hummingbird wings generate to hover were also measured. Their wingbeat was filmed simultaneously in slow-motion in both experiments. Hightower, Wijnings et al. then used a mathematical model that governs the wing’s aeroacoustics to confirm that the aerodynamic forces generated by the hummingbirds’ wings cause the humming sound heard when they hover in front of a flower. The model shows that the oscillating aerodynamic forces generate harmonics, which give the wings’ hum the acoustic quality of a musical instrument. Using this model Hightower, Wijnings et al. found that the differences in the aerodynamic forces generated by bird and insect wings cause the characteristic timbres of their whines, buzzes, hums, or whooshes. They also determined how these sounds scale with body mass and flapping frequency across 170 insect species and 80 bird species. This showed that mosquitos are unusually loud for their body size due to the unusual unsteadiness of the aerodynamic forces they generate in flight. These results explain why flying animals’ wings sound the way they do – for example, why larger birds are quieter and mosquitos louder. Better understanding of how the complex forces generated by animal wings create sound can advance the study of how animals change their wingbeat to communicate. Further, the model that explains how complex aerodynamic forces cause sound can help make the sounds of aerial robots, drones, and fans not only more silent, but perhaps more pleasing, like the hum of a hummingbird.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben J Hightower
- Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Patrick Wa Wijnings
- Electrical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | | | - Rivers Ingersoll
- Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Diana D Chin
- Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Jade Nguyen
- Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Daniel Shorr
- Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - David Lentink
- Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
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38
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Beriotto AC, Garzón MJ, Schweigmann N. Is There a Minimum Number of Landmarks That Optimizes the Geometric Morphometric Analysis of Mosquito (Diptera, Culicidae) Wings? JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 58:576-587. [PMID: 33017459 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjaa187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Culicids are the most significant arthropods affecting human health. Thus, their correct identification is critical. The use of Geometric Morphometrics (GM) has been recently incorporated into mosquito taxonomy and has begun to complement classic diagnostic techniques. Since sampling size depends on the number of Landmarks (LMs) used, this study aimed to establish the minimum number of wing LMs needed to optimize GM analysis of mosquito species and/or genera from urban and peri-urban areas of Argentina. Female left wings were used for the optimization phase, in which 17 LMs were reduced to four by iterative LM exclusion. To verify its efficiency, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Discriminant Analysis (DA), and Canonical Variate Analysis (CVA) were performed. Additionally, a phenogram was constructed to visualize the results. We observed that five LMs for the PCA, CVA, and phenogram and nine for the DA enabled discrimination and/or clustering of almost all species and genera. Therefore, we tested the LM selection by using nine LMs and adding new species. The resulting PCA showed little overlap between species and almost all species clustered as expected, which was also reflected in the phenogram. Significant differences were found between wing shape among all species, together with a low total error rate in the DA. In conclusion, the number of LMs can be reduced and still be used to effectively differentiate and cluster culicids. This is helpful for better exploitation of available material and optimization of data processing time when classic taxonomy methods are inadequate or the material is scarce.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustina C Beriotto
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Intendente, Güiraldes (C1428), Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Grupo de Estudio de Mosquitos, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Maximiliano J Garzón
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Intendente, Güiraldes (C1428), Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Grupo de Estudio de Mosquitos, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nicolás Schweigmann
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Intendente, Güiraldes (C1428), Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Grupo de Estudio de Mosquitos, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Abstract
There are at least eight ways that wings potentially produce sound. Five mechanisms are aerodynamic sounds, created by airflow, and three are structural sound created by interactions of solid surfaces. Animal flight is low Mach (M), meaning all animals move at <30% of the speed of sound. Thus in aerodynamic mechanisms the effects of air compressibility can be ignored, except in mechanism #1. Mechanism #1 is trapped air, in which air approaches or exceeds Mach 1 as it escapes a constriction. This mechanism is hypothetical but likely. #2 is Gutin sound, the aerodynamic reaction to lift and drag. This mechanism is ubiquitous in flight, and generates low frequency sound such as the humming of hummingbirds or insect wing tones. #3 is turbulence-generated atonal whooshing sounds, which are also widespread in animal flight. #4 are whistles, tonal sounds generated by geometry-induced flow feedback. This mechanism is hypothetical. #5 is aeroelastic flutter, sound generated by elasticity-induced feedback that is usually but not always tonal. This is widespread in birds (feathers are predisposed to flutter) but apparently not bats or insects. Mechanism #6 is rubbing sound (including stridulation), created when bird feathers or insect wings slide past each other. Atonal rubbing sounds are widespread in bird flight and insects; tonal stridulation is widespread in insects. #7 is percussion, created when two stiff elements collide and vibrate, and is present in some birds and insects. Mechanism #8 are tymbals and other bistable conformations. These are stiff elements that snap back and forth between two conformations, producing impulsive, atonal sound. Tymbals are widespread in insects but not birds or bats; insect cuticle appears predisposed to form tymbals. There are few examples of bat wing sounds: are bats intrinsically quiet, or just under-studied? These mechanisms, especially Gutin sound, whooshes, and rubbing (#2, #3, and #6) are prominent cues in ordinary flight of all flying animals, and are the "acoustic substrate" available to be converted from an adventitious sound (cue) into a communication signal. For instance, wing sounds have many times evolved into signals that are incorporated into courtship displays. Conversely, these are the sounds selected to be suppressed if quiet flight is selected for. The physical mechanisms that underlie animal sounds provide context for understanding the ways in which signals and cues may evolve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Clark
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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Pohly JA, Kang CK, Landrum DB, Bluman JE, Aono H. Data-driven CFD Scaling of Bioinspired Mars Flight Vehicles for Hover. ACTA ASTRONAUTICA 2021; 180:545-559. [PMID: 35001985 PMCID: PMC8739330 DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2020.12.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
One way to improve our model of Mars is through aerial sampling and surveillance, which could provide information to augment the observations made by ground-based exploration and satellite imagery. Flight in the challenging ultra-low-density Martian environment can be achieved with properly scaled bioinspired flapping wing vehicle configurations that utilize the same high lift producing mechanisms that are employed by insects on Earth. Through dynamic scaling of wings and kinematics, we investigate the ability to generate solutions for a broad range of flapping wing flight vehicles masses ranging from insects O(10-3) kg to the Mars helicopter Ingenuity O(100) kg. A scaling method based on a neural-network trained on 3D Navier-Stokes solutions is proposed to determine approximate wing size and kinematic values that generate bioinspired hover solutions. We demonstrate that a family of solutions exists for designs that range from 1 to 1000 grams, which are verified and examined using a 3D Navier-Stokes solver. Our results reveal that unsteady lift enhancement mechanisms, such as delayed stall and rotational lift, are present in the bioinspired solutions for the scaled vehicles hovering in Martian conditions. These hovering vehicles exhibit payloads of up to 1 kg and flight times on the order of 100 minutes when considering the respective limiting cases of the vehicle mass being comprised entirely of payload or entirely of a battery and neglecting any transmission inefficiencies. This method can help to develop a range of Martian flying vehicle designs with mission viable payloads, range, and endurance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy A Pohly
- University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35899
| | | | | | | | - Hikaru Aono
- Shinshu University, Tokida, Ueda, Nagano, Japan
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Cytochrome c Oxidase at Full Thrust: Regulation and Biological Consequences to Flying Insects. Cells 2021; 10:cells10020470. [PMID: 33671793 PMCID: PMC7931083 DOI: 10.3390/cells10020470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Flight dispersal represents a key aspect of the evolutionary and ecological success of insects, allowing escape from predators, mating, and colonization of new niches. The huge energy demand posed by flight activity is essentially met by oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in flight muscle mitochondria. In insects, mitochondrial ATP supply and oxidant production are regulated by several factors, including the energy demand exerted by changes in adenylate balance. Indeed, adenylate directly regulates OXPHOS by targeting both chemiosmotic ATP production and the activities of specific mitochondrial enzymes. In several organisms, cytochrome c oxidase (COX) is regulated at transcriptional, post-translational, and allosteric levels, impacting mitochondrial energy metabolism, and redox balance. This review will present the concepts on how COX function contributes to flying insect biology, focusing on the existing examples in the literature where its structure and activity are regulated not only by physiological and environmental factors but also how changes in its activity impacts insect biology. We also performed in silico sequence analyses and determined the structure models of three COX subunits (IV, VIa, and VIc) from different insect species to compare with mammalian orthologs. We observed that the sequences and structure models of COXIV, COXVIa, and COXVIc were quite similar to their mammalian counterparts. Remarkably, specific substitutions to phosphomimetic amino acids at critical phosphorylation sites emerge as hallmarks on insect COX sequences, suggesting a new regulatory mechanism of COX activity. Therefore, by providing a physiological and bioenergetic framework of COX regulation in such metabolically extreme models, we hope to expand the knowledge of this critical enzyme complex and the potential consequences for insect dispersal.
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Gehrke A, Mulleners K. Phenomenology and scaling of optimal flapping wing kinematics. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2021; 16:026016. [PMID: 33264765 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/abd012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Biological flapping wing fliers operate efficiently and robustly in a wide range of flight conditions and are a great source of inspiration to engineers. The unsteady aerodynamics of flapping wing flight are dominated by large-scale vortical structures that augment the aerodynamic performance but are sensitive to minor changes in the wing actuation. We experimentally optimise the pitch angle kinematics of a flapping wing system in hover to maximise the stroke average lift and hovering efficiency with the help of an evolutionary algorithm andin situforce and torque measurements at the wing root. Additional flow field measurements are conducted to link the vortical flow structures to the aerodynamic performance for the Pareto-optimal kinematics. The optimised pitch angle profiles yielding maximum stroke-average lift coefficients have trapezoidal shapes and high average angles of attack. These kinematics create strong leading-edge vortices early in the cycle which enhance the force production on the wing. The most efficient pitch angle kinematics resemble sinusoidal evolutions and have lower average angles of attack. The leading-edge vortex grows slower and stays close-bound to the wing throughout the majority of the stroke-cycle. This requires less aerodynamic power and increases the hovering efficiency by 93% but sacrifices 43% of the maximum lift in the process. In all cases, a leading-edge vortex is fed by vorticity through the leading edge shear layer which makes the shear layer velocity a good indicator for the growth of the vortex and its impact on the aerodynamic forces. We estimate the shear layer velocity at the leading edge solely from the input kinematics and use it to scale the average and the time-resolved evolution of the circulation and the aerodynamic forces. The experimental data agree well with the shear layer velocity prediction, making it a promising metric to quantify and predict the aerodynamic performance of the flapping wing hovering motion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Gehrke
- École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Unsteady flow diagnostics laboratory, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Karen Mulleners
- École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Unsteady flow diagnostics laboratory, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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Dou Z, Madan A, Carlson JS, Chung J, Spoleti T, Dimopoulos G, Cammarato A, Mittal R. Acoustotactic response of mosquitoes in untethered flight to incidental sound. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1884. [PMID: 33479423 PMCID: PMC7820424 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81456-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes are vectors for some of the most devastating diseases on the planet. Given the centrality of acoustic sensing in the precopulatory behavior of these vectors, the use of an exogenous acoustic stimulus offers the potential of interfering with the courtship behavior of these insects. Previous research on the acoustotactic response of mosquitoes has been conducted on tethered preparations using low-intensity sound stimuli. To quantify differences in acoustotactic responses between mosquitos of distinct sex and species, we examined the effects of incidental sound stimuli on the flight behavior of free-flying male vs. female Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes. The key variables were sound frequency (100–1000 Hz) and intensity (67–103 dB, measured at 12.5 cm from the source), and the acoustotactic response was measured in terms of the relative increase in flight speed in response to the stimulus. The data show, for the first time, significant sex- and species-specific differences in acoustotactic responses. A. aegypti exhibited a greater response to sound stimulus compared to An. gambiae, and the response also extended over a larger range of frequencies. Furthermore, the males of both species displayed a greater acoustotactic response than females, with An. gambiae females exhibiting minimal response to sound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongwang Dou
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Aditi Madan
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jenny S Carlson
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joseph Chung
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Tyler Spoleti
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - George Dimopoulos
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Anthony Cammarato
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rajat Mittal
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Yu W, Zhou Y, Guo J, Wyckhuys KAG, Shen X, Li X, Ge S, Liu D, Wu K. Interspecific and Seasonal Variation in Wingbeat Frequency Among Migratory Lepidoptera in Northern China. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 113:2134-2140. [PMID: 32607536 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toaa134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Many lepidopteran species rely upon active flight to migrate over long distances, thus pursuing ephemeral resources, colonizing new habitats, or escaping adverse meteorological conditions. Though their biology and ecology are often well studied, there is only scant information on their wingbeat frequency (WBF), a key aerodynamic determinant of insect flight. In this study, we assessed interspecific and seasonal variability in WBF for 85 different migratory species of Lepidoptera (11 families) under the laboratory conditions of 25 ± 1°C and 75 ± 5% RH. WBF of migrant individuals ranged between 6.7 and 84.5 Hz and substantial interspecific differences were recorded, with members of the Bombycidae exhibiting the highest mean WBFs (i.e., 55.1 ± 1.0 Hz) and Saturniidae the lowest (8.5 ± 0.2 Hz). At a species level, seasonal variation was observed in WBF for Mythimna separata (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Scotogramma trifolii Rottemberg (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Our findings add to the scientific knowledge on flight biology of migratory insects, facilitate (automatic) monitoring and population forecasting, and can have broader implications for insect pest management or biodiversity conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhua Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jianglong Guo
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Kris A G Wyckhuys
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiujing Shen
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiaokang Li
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Shishuai Ge
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Dazhong Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Agricultural Information Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kongming Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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45
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Gaviraghi A, Oliveira MF. A simple and reliable method for longitudinal assessment of untethered mosquito induced flight activity. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 126:104098. [PMID: 32798499 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2020.104098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Aedes aegypti adult females are key vectors of several arboviruses and flight activity plays a central role in mosquito biology and disease transmission. Available methods to quantify mosquito flight usually require special devices and mostly assess spontaneous locomotor activity at individual level. Here, we developed a new method to determine longitudinal untethered adult A. aegypti induced flight activity: the INduced FLight Activity TEst (INFLATE). This method was an adaptation of the "rapid iterative negative geotaxis" assay to assess locomotor activity in Drosophila and explore the spontaneous behavior of mosquitoes to fly following a physical stimulus. Insects were placed on a plastic cage previously divided in four vertical quadrants and flight performance was carried out by tapping cages towards the laboratory bench. After one minute, the number of insects per quadrant was registered by visual inspection and categorized in five different scores. By using INFLATE, we observed that flight performance was not influenced by repeated testing, sex or 5% ethanol intake. However, induced flight activity was strongly affected by aging, blood meal and inhibition of mitochondrial complex I. This simple and rapid method allows the longitudinal assessment of induced flight activity of multiple untethered mosquitoes and may contribute to a better understanding of A. aegypti dispersal biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Gaviraghi
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Resposta ao Estresse, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marcus F Oliveira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Resposta ao Estresse, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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Smith NM, Balsalobre JB, Doshi M, Willenberg BJ, Dickerson AK. Landing mosquitoes bounce when engaging a substrate. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15744. [PMID: 32978447 PMCID: PMC7519040 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72462-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In this experimental study we film the landings of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to characterize landing behaviors and kinetics, limitations, and the passive physiological mechanics they employ to land on a vertical surface. A typical landing involves 1-2 bounces, reducing inbound momentum by more than half before the mosquito firmly attaches to a surface. Mosquitoes initially approach landing surfaces at 0.1-0.6 m/s, decelerating to zero velocity in approximately 5 ms at accelerations as high as 5.5 gravities. Unlike Dipteran relatives, mosquitoes do not visibly prepare for landing with leg adjustments or body pitching. Instead mosquitoes rely on damping by deforming two forelimbs and buckling of the proboscis, which also serves to distribute the impact force, lessening the potential of detection by a mammalian host. The rebound response of a landing mosquito is well-characterized by a passive mass-spring-damper model which permits the calculation of force across impact velocity. The landing force of the average mosquito in our study is approximately 40 [Formula: see text]N corresponding to an impact velocity of 0.24 m/s. The substrate contact velocity which produces a force perceptible to humans, 0.42 m/s, is above 85% of experimentally observed landing speeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M Smith
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA
| | - Jasmine B Balsalobre
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA
| | - Mona Doshi
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA
| | - Bradley J Willenberg
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA
| | - Andrew K Dickerson
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA.
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Madzokere ET, Hallgren W, Sahin O, Webster JA, Webb CE, Mackey B, Herrero LJ. Integrating statistical and mechanistic approaches with biotic and environmental variables improves model predictions of the impact of climate and land-use changes on future mosquito-vector abundance, diversity and distributions in Australia. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:484. [PMID: 32967711 PMCID: PMC7510059 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04360-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Changes to Australia's climate and land-use patterns could result in expanded spatial and temporal distributions of endemic mosquito vectors including Aedes and Culex species that transmit medically important arboviruses. Climate and land-use changes greatly influence the suitability of habitats for mosquitoes and their behaviors such as mating, feeding and oviposition. Changes in these behaviors in turn determine future species-specific mosquito diversity, distribution and abundance. In this review, we discuss climate and land-use change factors that influence shifts in mosquito distribution ranges. We also discuss the predictive and epidemiological merits of incorporating these factors into a novel integrated statistical (SSDM) and mechanistic species distribution modelling (MSDM) framework. One potentially significant merit of integrated modelling is an improvement in the future surveillance and control of medically relevant endemic mosquito vectors such as Aedes vigilax and Culex annulirostris, implicated in the transmission of many arboviruses such as Ross River virus and Barmah Forest virus, and exotic mosquito vectors such as Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. We conducted a focused literature search to explore the merits of integrating SSDMs and MSDMs with biotic and environmental variables to better predict the future range of endemic mosquito vectors. We show that an integrated framework utilising both SSDMs and MSDMs can improve future mosquito-vector species distribution projections in Australia. We recommend consideration of climate and environmental change projections in the process of developing land-use plans as this directly impacts mosquito-vector distribution and larvae abundance. We also urge laboratory, field-based researchers and modellers to combine these modelling approaches. Having many different variations of integrated (SDM) modelling frameworks could help to enhance the management of endemic mosquitoes in Australia. Enhanced mosquito management measures could in turn lead to lower arbovirus spread and disease notification rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugene T. Madzokere
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Southport, QLD 4215 Australia
| | - Willow Hallgren
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith School of Environment, Gold Coast campus, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222 Australia
| | - Oz Sahin
- Cities Research Institute, Gold Coast campus, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222 Australia
| | - Julie A. Webster
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, 300 Herston Road, Herston, QLD 4006 Australia
| | - Cameron E. Webb
- Department of Medical Entomology, NSW Health Pathology, ICPMR, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145 Australia
- Marie Bashir Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Brendan Mackey
- Griffith Climate Change Response Program, Griffith School of Environment, Gold Coast campus, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222 Australia
| | - Lara J. Herrero
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Southport, QLD 4215 Australia
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Alam ME, Wu D, Dickerson AK. Predictive modelling of drop ejection from damped, dampened wings by machine learning. Proc Math Phys Eng Sci 2020; 476:20200467. [PMID: 33071591 DOI: 10.1098/rspa.2020.0467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The high frequency, low amplitude wing motion that mosquitoes employ to dry their wings inspires the study of drop release from millimetric, forced cantilevers. Our mimicking system, a 10-mm polytetrafluoroethylene cantilever driven through ±1 mm base amplitude at 85 Hz, displaces drops via three principal ejection modes: normal-to-cantilever ejection, sliding and pinch-off. The selection of system variables such as cantilever stiffness, drop location, drop size and wetting properties modulates the appearance of a particular ejection mode. However, the large number of system features complicate the prediction of modal occurrence, and the transition between complete and partial liquid removal. In this study, we build two predictive models based on ensemble learning that predict the ejection mode, a classification problem, and minimum inertial force required to eject a drop from the cantilever, a regression problem. For ejection mode prediction, we achieve an accuracy of 85% using a bagging classifier. For inertial force prediction, the lowest root mean squared error achieved is 0.037 using an ensemble learning regression model. Results also show that ejection time and cantilever wetting properties are the dominant features for predicting both ejection mode and the minimum inertial force required to eject a drop.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Erfanul Alam
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Dazhong Wu
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Andrew K Dickerson
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
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Karakas F, Maas AE, Murphy DW. A novel cylindrical overlap-and-fling mechanism used by sea butterflies. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb221499. [PMID: 32587067 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.221499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The clap-and-fling mechanism is a well-studied, unsteady lift generation mechanism widely used by flying insects and is considered obligatory for tiny insects flying at low to intermediate Reynolds numbers, Re However, some aquatic zooplankters including some pteropod (i.e. sea butterfly) and heteropod species swimming at low to intermediate Re also use the clap-and-fling mechanism. These marine snails have extremely flexible, actively deformed, muscular wings which they flap reciprocally to create propulsive force, and these wings may enable novel lift generation mechanisms not available to insects, which have less flexible, passively deformed wings. Using high-speed stereophotogrammetry and micro-particle image velocimetry, we describe a novel cylindrical overlap-and-fling mechanism used by the pteropod species Cuvierina atlantica In this maneuver, the pteropod's wingtips overlap at the end of each half-stroke to sequentially form a downward-opening cone, a cylinder and an upward-opening cone. The transition from downward-opening cone to cylinder produces a downward-directed jet at the trailing edges. Similarly, the transition from cylinder to upward-opening cone produces downward flow into the gap between the wings, a leading edge vortex ring and a corresponding sharp increase in swimming speed. The ability of this pteropod species to perform the cylindrical overlap-and-fling maneuver twice during each stroke is enabled by its slender body and highly flexible wings. The cylindrical overlap-and-fling mechanism observed here may inspire the design of new soft robotic aquatic vehicles incorporating highly flexible propulsors to take advantage of this novel lift generation technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferhat Karakas
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Amy E Maas
- Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, St George's GE01, Bermuda
| | - David W Murphy
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
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50
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Krishna S, Cho M, Wehmann HN, Engels T, Lehmann FO. Wing Design in Flies: Properties and Aerodynamic Function. INSECTS 2020; 11:E466. [PMID: 32718051 PMCID: PMC7469158 DOI: 10.3390/insects11080466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The shape and function of insect wings tremendously vary between insect species. This review is engaged in how wing design determines the aerodynamic mechanisms with which wings produce an air momentum for body weight support and flight control. We work out the tradeoffs associated with aerodynamic key parameters such as vortex development and lift production, and link the various components of wing structure to flight power requirements and propulsion efficiency. A comparison between rectangular, ideal-shaped and natural-shaped wings shows the benefits and detriments of various wing shapes for gliding and flapping flight. The review expands on the function of three-dimensional wing structure, on the specific role of wing corrugation for vortex trapping and lift enhancement, and on the aerodynamic significance of wing flexibility for flight and body posture control. The presented comparison is mainly concerned with wings of flies because these animals serve as model systems for both sensorimotor integration and aerial propulsion in several areas of biology and engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Fritz-Olaf Lehmann
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany; (S.K.); (M.C.); (H.-N.W.); (T.E.)
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