Bistable click mechanism for dipteran flight robot

Abstract

The flight mechanism of the dipteran insects is commonly used to design the flapping robot. However, the nonlinear dynamics of the buckling click mechanism of the flapping robot with bistability still unclear. In this paper, a novel flapping robot model with the click mechanism proposed based on the bistability of snap-through buckling. The nonlinear governing equations of the flight robot are obtained by using the Euler-Lagrange equation. The nonlinear potential energy, moment of the elastic force, equilibrium bifurcation, as well as equilibrium stability are investigated to show the bistable characteristics. The transitional and persistent sets of bifurcation regions in the parameter plane and the corresponding phase portraits are obtained with single and double well behaviors. Then, the periodic response of the free flight are defined by the analytical solution of three kinds of elliptical functions, as well as the amplitude frequency responses are investigated by numerical integration. Based on the topological equivalent, the chaotic thresholds of the homo-clinic and heteroclinic orbits for the chaotic vibration of the perturbed robot system are derived. Finally, the prototype of nonlinear flapping robot is manufactured and the experimental system is setup. The nonlinear static moment of force curves, periodic response and dynamic flight vibration of dipteran robot system are carried out. It is shown that the test results are agree well with the theoretical analysis and numerical simulation. Those results have the potential application for the structure design of the efficient flight robot.