This article explores a technique to leverage curved surfaces for producing preferential buckling that can be used to create forward thrust in flapping-wing devices. We present a novel concept for using anisotropically buckling beams in robot locomotion, facilitated via an analytical and finite-element-based analyses. We demonstrate that with symmetric flapping inputs from a motor, buckling beams can be used to generate forward thrust, power, and work while reducing the drag associated with the recovery phase of the flapping gait. Our analysis includes experimental data that measures the forces produced by wings flapping in air and water. The results show a clear difference in the work produced between buckling and nonbuckling curved beams and shows that the average force and work produced by buckling wings over a number of cycles with symmetric flapping is nonzero. This has been demonstrated on a new, two-fin swimming robot that, through the use of this phenomenon, is capable of reaching an average speed of 0.1 m/s. This article makes it possible for simple motor inputs to produce complex swimming gaits through careful consideration during the mechanical design phase for swimming robots.

中文翻译：

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拍打翼车辆的曲率引起的屈曲

本文探讨了一种利用曲面来产生优先屈曲的技术，该屈曲可用于在襟翼装置中产生向前的推力。我们提出了一种在机器人运动中使用各向异性屈曲梁的新颖概念，通过基于分析和基于有限元的分析得到了促进。我们证明，利用来自电机的对称扑动输入，屈曲梁可用于产生前向推力，动力和工作，同时减少与扑动步态恢复阶段相关的阻力。我们的分析包括测量机翼在空气和水中拍打时产生的力的实验数据。结果表明，屈曲和非屈曲弯曲梁产生的功明显不同，并且表明在对称对称拍打的多个循环中，屈曲机翼产生的平均力和功非零。这已经在新型的两翅式游泳机器人上得到了证明，通过使用这种现象，它可以达到平均速度0.1 m / s。本文通过在游泳机器人的机械设计阶段中进行仔细考虑，使简单的电机输入产生复杂的游泳步态成为可能。