Electrical stimulation of coleopteran muscle for flight cessation

• Main Author: Tnee, Chin Kiat
• Other Authors: Hirotaka Sato
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Bioengineering; DRNTU::Science::Biological sciences::Zoology::Invertebrates; DRNTU::Engineering::Nanotechnology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/68826
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The aim of this report is to demonstrate the study of insect flight control on the anatomical level study of the musculature structure of the beetle and also studying the flight style of the beetle with the aid of motion capture technology. The key subject of study in this project is the Mecynorrhina Torquata beetle, which is considerably one of the largest flower beetle in the world, capable of flying additional loads approximately 20-30 % of its own body weight. Anatomical studies were performed on the beetle to study the various different muscle groups that can affect flying, flight initiation and flight cessation. Electrical stimulation is then performed on the muscle group of Dorsal-Longitudinal Muscle (DLM) at a voltage of 3 V, 100 Hz frequency and 10 % duty cycle to achieve flight initiation. After which, attempts are then made to stimulate the same muscle group but with different parameters to attain flight cessation. Experimental results attained have shown that flight cessation could be attained with electrical stimulation on DLM at a setting of 3 V, 50 Hz frequency, 50 % duty cycle and a burst cycle of 100. A success rate of 80 % (80 out of 100 trials) was achieved with a short average response time of 1.6 seconds (90 trials) was recorded. In view of studying the way beetles fly, MOCAP (Motion Capture) is also being employed. With the aid of VICON motion capture systems which uses infrared cameras to track retroreflective markers. A basic test frame is first used as practice to learn the operation and data extraction of flight data. However, the final frame which is to be mounted onto the beetle and tested for flight tracking is yet to be accomplished. This section will be covered under Appendix C for reference.