rBat

YEAR: 

            2015

LOCATION: 

            Cambridge, MA

TYPE: 

            Robot; Faculty Advisor Chuck Hoberman

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EXHIBITION:

            June, 2016, ACSA International Conference, Santiago, Chile

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TEAM:

            Catty Dan Zhang

            Anu Akkineni

rBAT is inspired by the flying behavior of birds and bats in the nature, and the advances of aerodynamics and control of man-made flying machines. It challenges the capacity of using informal techniques to create robust flapping motion which generates a certain amount of thrust. It consists of four major components- a central double-layered mechanism that controls the flapping behavior; a tail which balances the body weight while generating downward thrust; a motor and gear system based off a four-bar linkage which transfers the continuous rotary motion into rotary input within certain range to drive both the flapping mechanism and the tail movements; as well as a pair of wings made out of rigid skeleton and thin polyester film, including also two sets of passive linkages for compliance during a full stroke of flapping.

rBAT is being developed with testing equipments and currently it moves forward and backward along a pair of horizontal rails. Its directionality of motion is controlled by the DC motor speed.