Descrizione del progetto
Robot che battono le ali per monitorare gli ambienti acquatici
La robotica può svolgere un ruolo importante nel monitoraggio degli ambienti acquatici terrestri, migliorando ampiamente la nostra comprensione dei cambiamenti climatici. Per raccogliere campioni e dati in fiumi, laghi e oceani, i robot devono essere resilienti, leggeri e accessibili in termini economici. I robot aereo-acquatici potrebbero rappresentare una soluzione in tal senso, in quanto possono coprire lunghe distanze in volo e sono in grado di interagire a livello fisico con le nostre acque per effettuare misurazioni e raccogliere campioni. Il progetto FAAV, finanziato dall’UE, procederà alla modellizzazione, all’elaborazione e allo sviluppo di un approccio a battito d’ali su piccola scala. Prendendo ispirazione dal regno animale, il primo veicolo aereo-acquatico in grado di battere le ali sviluppato nell’ambito del progetto effettuerà una transizione fluida tra l’aria e l’acqua e sarà in grado di trasportare carichi utili in termini di sensori pertinenti. Il progetto collauderà questi nuovi dispositivi in condizioni esterne reali.
Obiettivo
As our world is experiencing climate changes, we need better monitoring technologies. Since most of our planet is covered in water, sample and data collection in rivers, lakes and oceans plays a leading role in our world’s understanding. While robotics shows huge promises in this task, aquatic environments remain challenging to operate in. There is thus a strong need for light, affordable and resilient mobile robots that can operate and rapidly collect multiple measurements in these environments.
Aerial-aquatic robots are promising to combine the capability to cover large distance in air, overcoming obstacles with the ability to physically interact, measure, and sample our lakes, rivers and oceans. For that, we need to study new locomotion methods and platforms that (1) can effectively move from water to air and transition in-between (2) can cope with the highly complex and dynamic nature of our environment i.e. wind, waves (3) possess a high level of autonomy and reliability to reliably operate with climate scientists.
For this, I propose a small-scale flapping wing approach. Animals have readily shown aerial-aquatic locomotion and therefore are a tremendous source for inspiration, already demonstrating the capabilities of flapping-wing. These devices are inherently safe thanks to their low velocities, also preventing breakage, and promise to efficiently move both in air and in water.
This project will result in the first Flapping wing, Aerial-Aquatic Vehicle - or FAAV capable of carrying relevant sensory payload. This will build upon a theoretical model of this locomotion strategy and successive tests both in air and underwater, leading to an efficient, reliable device capable of sub-surface and air motion. The resulting designs will be field-tested in realistic outdoor conditions and equipped with navigation and data-collection capabilities for environmental research.
Campo scientifico
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinatore
1015 Lausanne
Svizzera