Merkel Oral Report F05 v2

							Understanding the Varying Cross
Sections of Flight Feather Shafts
                                                   UNION COLLEGE
                                     MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
                                                   David Merkel IV
                                        Advisor: Dr. Andrew J. Rapoff




 www.fcps.k12.va




  Ruby-throat Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)
Motivation
   Biomimetic flight vehicles of great current interest
       Must first understand their structures

   Shaft cross sections are undescribed quantitatively




                                   www.livingroom.org




Natural Flight Vehicle               Biomimetic Flight Vehicle
     Project Overview
                                     10 mm
   Compare across three size
    groups
       Large birds (turkeys)
       Midsize birds (songbirds &
        ducks)
       Hummingbirds

   Three principal (P) feathers
    per wing

   Quantify sections from
    follicle to tip
       Devise sectioning method
       Analyze sections
Completed Tasks
                    1 mm




                              Devised method for
                               cutting shafts with
                               minimal deformation &
                               kerf loss
    www.ucl.ac.uk




                              Prepared sections and
                               captured images with
                               digital camera &
                               microscope
  Uncompleted Tasks

                              Cross sectional analysis:
                 Ventral       what metrics characterize
                               plane areas?
             A
                                  Width & height to
                                   thickness ratio
                                  Specific surface (ratio of
                                   perimeter P to area A)
                                  Moments of inertia
                                  Others?
Dorsal
         P                    Use metrics to compare
                               across size groups
QUESTIONS…?



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