Insects are the only group of animals to have evolved flight capabilities from non-limb body parts, with their wings intricately connected to their bodies through a unique complex hinge. However, the mechanical mechanisms of these wing hinges have long been a puzzle.
A study published in Nature on the 18th revealed, for the first time, the workings of insect wing hinges, conducted by a team from the California Institute of Technology. Combining imaging techniques, machine learning modeling, and robotic flight, they uncovered the mystery.
By employing technological means, the research team captured the wing movements of fruit flies as they flew in an electronic flight simulator. By studying the aerodynamic effects on these muscle-bound tiny robots after modeling, they measured the aerodynamic actions of these wing joints. Analysis of these complex joints may advance our understanding of the evolution of flight, leading to innovations in bionics and biomechanics.
(Reported by Zhang Mengran and Zhao Weihua from Science and Technology Daily)
