CHRISTIAN AAGE LuNDSGAARD, 6/21/2015
I was inspired by the wing design of several species of birds: The Cardinals, robins, swifts and brown pelicans.
FIRST SPIRAL
DISCOVER 1: I started out studying the wing movement of different birds on youtube and made notes.
ABSTRACT 1: I described key elements of what makes this strategy work for birds (muscle structure, weight, folding wings, feathers opening up on upstroke etc.)
DISCOVER 1: I started out studying the wing movement of different birds on youtube and made notes.
ABSTRACT 1: I described key elements of what makes this strategy work for birds (muscle structure, weight, folding wings, feathers opening up on upstroke etc.)
BRAINSTORM 1: I brainstormed different needs for this strategy (small scale human transportation, robotic planes, small transport drones etc.)
EMULATE 1: I sketched a few of these ideas, and also started sketching how the muscles of a wing might look in a human built aircraft
EMULATE 1: I sketched a few of these ideas, and also started sketching how the muscles of a wing might look in a human built aircraft
Evaluate 1: I went through the LP list to guide me in the right direction. Made a few notes for the next loops.
SECOND SPIRAL:
Discover 2: I found a couple of detailed videos describing the bones, muscles and internal organs of flying birds. Made some notes and sketches:
Discover 2: I found a couple of detailed videos describing the bones, muscles and internal organs of flying birds. Made some notes and sketches:
ABSTRACT 2 / BRAINSTORM 2 / EMULATE 2
I thought of hollow cellular 3D printed bones as the aircrafts structure, inspired by bird bones. I also took a closer look and sketches the muscles that provide the up- and downstroke movement of the wing.
I also did a principal sketch for the wing muscles that connect the bones of the wing. Short muscles support the stability of the bone, longer muscle connect separate bones, and can move them in compression to each other.
Finally I was inspired by how bird feathers open up to allow air passage on the upstroke, that I sketches a mechanical principal of this for my aircraft.
I thought of hollow cellular 3D printed bones as the aircrafts structure, inspired by bird bones. I also took a closer look and sketches the muscles that provide the up- and downstroke movement of the wing.
I also did a principal sketch for the wing muscles that connect the bones of the wing. Short muscles support the stability of the bone, longer muscle connect separate bones, and can move them in compression to each other.
Finally I was inspired by how bird feathers open up to allow air passage on the upstroke, that I sketches a mechanical principal of this for my aircraft.
EVALUATE 2:
Briefly ran through the LP´s and made a couple of notes.
THIRD SPIRAL:
DISCOVER 3:
Visited ASKNATURE.ORG and found the brown pelican that used the surface of the water to increase lift and reduce downwash. Also looked at how swifts alter their wing position my optimized performance in specific functions (going fast, going slow, turning, stopping etc.)
Briefly ran through the LP´s and made a couple of notes.
THIRD SPIRAL:
DISCOVER 3:
Visited ASKNATURE.ORG and found the brown pelican that used the surface of the water to increase lift and reduce downwash. Also looked at how swifts alter their wing position my optimized performance in specific functions (going fast, going slow, turning, stopping etc.)
ABSTRACT 3:
Sum up of DISCOVER 3
BRAINSTORM 3:
I brainstormed further in to details like: muscle design, how to give feedback to a control center or CPU to change wing position depending on the weather conditions and the flying function being performed.
Sum up of DISCOVER 3
BRAINSTORM 3:
I brainstormed further in to details like: muscle design, how to give feedback to a control center or CPU to change wing position depending on the weather conditions and the flying function being performed.
EMULATE 3:
Sketches of muscle details and how muscle connect with joints (bones). I also did an overview of the energy and information flow of the craft.
Sketches of muscle details and how muscle connect with joints (bones). I also did an overview of the energy and information flow of the craft.
THE DESIGN
Product: A 2-4 person lightweight plane powered by solar and pedaling passengers.
Tech description: Solar panels and pedaling power a battery. Battery used to rotate propeller for part of the forward thrust. Bird wing inspired design is used to move wings up and down for uplift and steering.
The muscles and bones of birds are emulated to make this possible.
The bones are 3d printed lightweight fiber. The bones are printed to shape and they are cellular to save weight. The bones are the structure of the the wing.
The muscles pulling on the bones are designed like long balloons. Each balloon is re-enforced with rings along its length to allow it only to expand and contract lengthwise (like a real muscle).
The muscles are connected to a pneumatic system, that can pump air in or out of a muscle very fast. This makes the muscles expand and contract which then moves the wing in multiple directions.
Different muscles take care of the many different wing movements. Up/down, folding the wing, spreading the wing etc.
The wing is made of thin fabric louvers than form a large flat area when wing beats down, but opens up (like a birds wing) when lifting the wing up.
Sensors all over the craft send information back to a CPU that through a complex algorithm helps guide air pressure to relevant muscles.
Product: A 2-4 person lightweight plane powered by solar and pedaling passengers.
Tech description: Solar panels and pedaling power a battery. Battery used to rotate propeller for part of the forward thrust. Bird wing inspired design is used to move wings up and down for uplift and steering.
The muscles and bones of birds are emulated to make this possible.
The bones are 3d printed lightweight fiber. The bones are printed to shape and they are cellular to save weight. The bones are the structure of the the wing.
The muscles pulling on the bones are designed like long balloons. Each balloon is re-enforced with rings along its length to allow it only to expand and contract lengthwise (like a real muscle).
The muscles are connected to a pneumatic system, that can pump air in or out of a muscle very fast. This makes the muscles expand and contract which then moves the wing in multiple directions.
Different muscles take care of the many different wing movements. Up/down, folding the wing, spreading the wing etc.
The wing is made of thin fabric louvers than form a large flat area when wing beats down, but opens up (like a birds wing) when lifting the wing up.
Sensors all over the craft send information back to a CPU that through a complex algorithm helps guide air pressure to relevant muscles.
EVALUATE 3:
I have only chosen a few points were the design meets life´s principles and a few that could be worked on further.
Principles met:
- The design is resourceful. It uses only local free energy, with whatever limitations that will entail.
- The design integrates local feedback loops. The sensor transmit weather data to the CPU that sends information to the pumps to correct the wing placement for the given conditions.
- The features perform multiple functions i.e. the muscles in the wings can steer the plane in any direction
Principles not met:
- It is not designed to be re-purposed
- It does not use simple common building blocks
- I am not sure the solar panels can be integrated back into nature
/Christian
I have only chosen a few points were the design meets life´s principles and a few that could be worked on further.
Principles met:
- The design is resourceful. It uses only local free energy, with whatever limitations that will entail.
- The design integrates local feedback loops. The sensor transmit weather data to the CPU that sends information to the pumps to correct the wing placement for the given conditions.
- The features perform multiple functions i.e. the muscles in the wings can steer the plane in any direction
Principles not met:
- It is not designed to be re-purposed
- It does not use simple common building blocks
- I am not sure the solar panels can be integrated back into nature
/Christian