Biomimetics and Flying Technology

Abstract

Salesman Problem ............................................................................................ 624 18.13.3 Genetic Algorithm Wing Planform Optimization ...................................... 625 18.13.4 Genetic Algorithm Wing Tip Optimization ................................................ 626 18.13.5 Evolutional Structural Optimization ............................................................ 62718.14 Cybernetics-Reverse Engineering of Nature for Design Innovations ................... 629 18.14.1 Bird Swarms and Group Dynamics .............................................................. 629 18.14.2 Distributed Feet and Mobile Robots ............................................................. 631 18.14.3 Insects and Optical Flow ................................................................................ 631In this chapter we will attempt to get a glimpse of insights and observations of some fascinating aspects of birds, insects, and žying seeds, of inspired aerodynamic concepts, as well as visions of past, present, and future aircraft developments. We will explore the fascinations of nature, the struggle to žy, and the ultimate successes of our žying machines. Man most certainly has always been fascinated and inspired by the dream of žying by observing birds soaring in the sky and žittering from tree to tree. Otto Lilienthal, the great German pioneering aviator, said “With each advent of spring, when the air is alive with innumerable happy creatures-then a certain desire takes possession of man. He longs to soar upward and to glide, free as the bird, over smiling „elds, leafy woods and mirror like lakes, and so enjoy the varying landscape as fully as only a bird can do.”