Design of stiffness-variable dielectric elastomer wing based on seagull characteristics and its application in avian flight bionics

Abstract

ABSTRACT Dielectric elastomers (DE), renowned for their lightweight, rapid response, high energy density, and efficient conversion, have garnered significant attention in the realm of avian flight bionics. However, a lack of understanding of the mechanical principles underlying flapping wing biomimetics has hindered accurate simulations of actual bird flight postures. To address this, a stiffness-variable DE-based wing (DEW) has been designed, inspired by the characteristics of seagulls, to mimic the wing deformations across different bird flight phases. The evolution of the DEW’s deformation is modeled based on the differential equation describing the bending curve of a DE cantilever beam. By applying different voltage cycles, three continuous avian flight postures have been replicated: takeoff, cruising, and hovering. The simulation results demonstrate that the stiffness-variable DEW effectively mimics the wing deformations observed in birds during different flight postures, closely resembling real-world flight conditions. This study has the potential to serve as an important reference for exploring changes in bird flight behavior, thereby advancing the application of DE materials in the field of soft robotics.