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Wavelet analysis of a flexible filament kinematics: emulating C. elegans swimming behavior

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Abstract

This paper discusses different aspects of an active flexible filament propulsion in a liquid medium. The immersed boundary method is used to model a flexible filament immersed in Newtonian fluid at low Reynolds numbers. The flexible filament motion emulates that of a C. elegans. We varied some parameters of the filament motion, such as the interpolation points of the function related to the curvature of the filament and the upstroke and downstroke period, and analyzed the kinematic response in the body displacement and fluid flow. A methodology based on signal analysis is proposed for correct modeling of the movement of these filaments. The swimming velocity and distance are analyzed using wavelet transform, in which the notion of time–frequency localization is made precise. This methodology allows defining which parameters lead to the best efficiency, e.g., greater swim distance for the same number of strokes, making it very valuable for passive control of the filament.

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Funding

This study was funded in part by the Brazilian funding agencies FAPESP—São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Grant Nos. 2016/14337-5 and 2019/15754-7) and CNPq—Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (Grant No. 312951/2018-3).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Escola Politécnica, University of São Paulo, Av. Professor Mello Moraes 2231, São Paulo, Brazil

    Sara Malvar & Bruno S. Carmo

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  1. Sara Malvar
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  2. Bruno S. Carmo
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Correspondence to Sara Malvar.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Technical Editor: Erick Franklin.

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Malvar, S., Carmo, B.S. Wavelet analysis of a flexible filament kinematics: emulating C. elegans swimming behavior. J Braz. Soc. Mech. Sci. Eng. 43, 207 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40430-021-02915-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40430-021-02915-8

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