Online Seminar Series - Dr. Mark Jankauski
Elucidating the Mechanics of Flapping Wing Insects
Elucidating the
Mechanics of Flapping Wing Insects
Dr. Mark Jankauski
Assistant Professor, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Montana State University
Abstract
While inspiration from biology has transformed engineering design, even the most advanced manmade systems continue to be outperformed by their biological counterparts. For example, airborne insects exhibit robust flight stability and dexterity unparalleled by micro air vehicles. Although research efforts by engineering and biology communities have significantly advanced the understanding of flapping-wing flight, many of the mechanisms employed by small-scale biological fliers are still poorly understood.
Insects are complex dynamical systems equipped with highly specialized structures that enable the insect to locomote minimal energetic and cognitive demands. In this talk, I will examine the component and system-level dynamics of the insect flight mechanism. I will elucidate the role of the wing as both a sensor and actuator and discuss advances in the aeroelastic modeling of flexible wings. I will present recent experimental studies that demonstrate the vibratory properties of the insect thorax in-vivo and ex-vivo and show how these properties vary across insect species. I will discuss how the flight mechanism extends to behaviors beyond flight, including pollination, communication and defensive signaling. Overall, this talk will demonstrate how flying insects can serve as model organisms for bio-inspired design.
Bio
Dr. Mark Jankauski is an assistant professor in the Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Department at Montana State University. He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 2011 from the University of Arizona and subsequently worked in industry as an Instrumentation & Controls Engineer and Mechanical Estimating Professional for CH2M Hill (recently acquired by Jacobs Engineering Group). He returned to graduate school at the University of Washington and received Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in 2017 under the guidance of Dr. Steve Shen. Dr. Jankauski has received nearly $1M in funding from the National Science Foundation in the past three years and has submitted or published 20 peer reviewed conference and journal articles. He received the NSF CAREER award in 2020 to support his work on system-level insect dynamics. His research interests include dynamics & vibrations, flight mechanics, fluid-structure interaction, and bio-inspired design.