Patent for Flapping Robot Wings

ECE Associate Professor Alireza Ramezani received a patent for “Armwing structures for aerial robots.”
Abstract Source: USPTO
Robotic wings for an aerial drone include a plurality of armwing structures, each comprising a plurality of rigid members connected together by flexible living hinges in a single monolithic structure. Wing membranes are supported by the armwing structures. A drive mechanism is connected to the armwing structures for articulating the armwing structures. A motor is connected to the drive mechanism for actuating the drive mechanism to move the armwing structures through a series of wingbeats wherein the armwing structures expand in a downstroke and retract in an upstroke to move the wing membranes in a flapping motion.