Biomimetic flight and propulsion mechanisms

A foldable respiratory siphon enables near-surface locomotion through asymmetric rowing in Helophilus larvae

This study examines the structural and functional adaptations of the respiratory siphon in Helophilus larvae, revealing its role in both respiration and locomotion through asymmetric rowing.

Fluctuating hydrodynamic forces increase fish locomotor variability in turbulence

This study shows that turbulence increases fish locomotor variability and energy expenditure by causing fluctuations in hydrodynamic forces.

Dipteran wing damage discriminates between flight motor inertial-elastic distributions

This study identifies passive mechanical features of the dipteran flight motor that explain reduced wingbeat frequency scaling with wing damage.

Torque-optimized body morphing enables rapid surface to underwater diving in whirligig beetles

This paper investigates how whirligig beetles generate hydrodynamic torque for rapid surface-to-underwater diving by bending their abdomen.

A mechanical parameter of coasting varies bout to bout and predicts swim timing in larval zebrafish

This study shows that larval zebrafish actively modulate their coasting mechanics between swim bouts, which predicts swim timing and suggests active control of post-propulsion movement.

Aerodynamic performance appears to have shaped the evolution of flight-feather microstructures

This study shows that changes in flight feather microstructure affect aerodynamic performance, suggesting evolution of feather structures was driven by aerodynamic efficiency and stability.

Passive thrust production in animal propulsion: exploitation of velocity gradients for energy conservation

The paper investigates how fish exploit velocity gradients to passively produce thrust, reducing locomotor costs by 74%.

Flight muscle allocation diverges between two moth families with distinct flight strategies

The paper compares flight muscle morphology and volume allocation between two moth families with different flight strategies, finding divergent muscle proportions and specific muscle specializations.

The physiological dynamic clamp allows insect flight muscle to transition between two actuation modes in virtual reality

This study demonstrates that hawkmoth flight muscle can transition between stretch-activated and neural-activated modes in virtual reality, showing entrainment when activation timescales align.

A theoretical framework for aerodynamic braking and landing in gliding mammals

This paper develops a theoretical framework to quantify how glide distance, aerodynamic braking, and braking distance affect pre-contact kinetic energy and deceleration requirements in gliding mammals.

Predicting Drosophila Body Orientation from a Translational Trajectory using an Artificial Neural Network

This paper develops an artificial neural network to predict Drosophila body yaw orientation from translational flight trajectories, achieving lower error than linear and Mobius regressions.

Dynamic dorsal body morphology encodes engineering design principles of fish propulsion and hydrodynamics

The paper introduces a data-driven framework to connect fish body shape dynamics to hydrodynamic performance using CFD simulations and reduced-order modeling.

Emergence of meniscus-guided movement in drosophilid larvae through posture-dependent capillary forces

This paper shows that Scaptodrosophila dorsocentralis larvae move on water surfaces using meniscus-guided motion, a behavior absent in related species like Drosophila melanogaster.

Wing pitch timing and wing elevation modulate forces and body pitch in forward flapping flight

This study shows how wing motion adjustments in flapping flight affect force production and body pitch, offering insights for drone control.

Dorsal fins are not universal stabilizers in cetaceans: limited yaw effects and flipper-coupled roll stability

The paper examines cetacean dorsal fin function, finding they are not universal stabilizers but lineage-specific roll stabilizers interacting with flippers.

Free-flight kinematics of soldier flies during headwind gust perturbations

This study examines how black soldier flies adjust their flight in response to headwind gusts, revealing key kinematic strategies that could inform the design of more stable micro aerial vehicles.

Distributed elasticity: a high-reward, moderate-risk strategy for efficient control modulation in insect flight

This study identifies a strategy for improving flight efficiency in insects by analyzing how distributed elasticity in flight motors affects resonance bands.

How tp1, an indirect wing steering muscle, stabilizes Drosophila's flight

This paper shows that indirect steering muscles in Drosophila help stabilize flight by adjusting wing pitch during large perturbations, using a nonlinear control strategy.

A multi-muscular, redundant strategy for free-flight roll stability

This paper investigates how fruit flies achieve roll stability during flight by analyzing wing kinematics and neuromuscular control mechanisms.

Fish locomotor variation: connecting energetics and kinematic modulation

The paper examines how fish locomotor kinematics and energetics vary with environmental and biological factors, showing correlations between kinematic modulation and metabolic rate changes.

Predicting Trends in Avian Wing Motion and Energetics Across Scales

This paper uses predictive models to show that profile drag drives avian flight kinematic trends across scales, explaining speed, frequency, and energy efficiency patterns.

Signatures of Motion: Decomposition of Adaptive Morphing Flight in Harris' Hawks

This study identifies four fundamental morphing shape modes in Harris' hawk flight that capture most wing and tail variation, revealing structured yet flexible adaptive strategies.

Supra-resonant wingbeats in insects

This study shows insects flap wings above their resonant frequency, revealing supra-resonance as a general principle for high-frequency flight across multiple species.

The tail of myliobatid rays controls body stability

This study shows that elongate tails in myliobatid rays increase hydrodynamic stability during gliding by generating drag and damping body oscillations.

Adaptive feedforward speed control in Drosophila

This study shows that Drosophila adjusts flight speed through adaptive feedforward control, not just feedback, by observing changes in speed after wing damage and antennae ablation.

Fast turns are not sped up slow turns: How bluegill sunfish change their kinematics with turn speed

This study compares the kinematics of fast and slow turns in bluegill sunfish, finding kinematic differences that suggest distinct strategies for handling torque and moment of inertia.

Wind Tunnel Study of the Forces Due to Drafting in Dolphin Mother-Calf pairs

The paper uses wind tunnel models to quantify drag reduction in dolphin mother-calf pairs during drafting, confirming theoretical predictions.

Interfacial vortex recapture enhances thrust in tiny water skaters

This study investigates interfacial vortex recapture in Microvelia americana, showing how it enhances thrust through vortex re-energization and tripod gait mechanics.

Fly motion vision is tuned to maximize signal energy transfer between mechanical input and sensor output

The paper shows that blowfly motion vision is tuned to maximize signal energy transfer between mechanical input and sensor output, improving observability and controllability.

Complete neuroanatomy of dragonfly wings suggests direct sensing of aeroelastic deformations

This study maps the neuroanatomy and sensor distribution in dragonfly wings to understand how mechanosensors detect aeroelastic deformations during flight.