Mechanism design and kinematics analysis of a bat robot

Abstract

This paper proposes a bat robot mechanism and investigates the kinematics of flying process. After observing the flight of bat for a long period of time and analyzing its flying kinematics, a bionic robot was synthesized based on the bat structure to realize the deploying and flapping movements of the double membranous wings. With screw theory, the primary motion of the membranous wings was checked, and five steering engines were selected for controlling the flapping flight of the bat robot collaboratively. The structure is optimized for a bench test. The following test is just for the measurement of the force output of the bat robot. Computer simulations of fluid field of flight in the ANSYS software proved the kinematics discipline of efficient flight of a bat. Prototype test indicates that the membranous wings could provide efficient flapping flight.