A digital twin for insect wing aerodynamics

This paper presents preliminary work in the development of a digital twin of a micro-robotics laboratory, using Nvidia Omniverse, at the University of Manchester. The motivation is to investigate insect wing aerodynamics for flapping flight by combining the insight gained from experiments and simulation. The paper describes step by step how the digital twin is created, using computer aided engineering tools, a gaming physics engine, and advanced visualisation. A proof of concept is presented whereby the flapping motion of a virtual wing, displayed in the digital twin, is driven by an analytical expression implemented in software. The resulting digital twin can be used for design of experiment, testing a range of parameters and wing shapes before running physical tests in the real laboratory. The digital twin can also be used to display the experimental results, comparing them with simulation in the same environment. The ultimate goal is to use the digital twin to accelerate the understanding of flapping winged flight, helping engineers design machines that use this form of locomotion.