Intelligent Flexible Electronic Skin for Digital Aerodynamic Mapping of Flying Aircraft

YongAn Huang*, Kan Li, Fan Zhang, Jingjing Ji, Wuxing Lai

1, State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Equipment and Technology, School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (*yahuang@hust.edu.cn)

Abstract

Rapid development of flexible electronics has enabled a broad range of applications including flexible display, health monitoring, optoelectronics and soft robotics. There are still few applications in aerodynamic measurement of aircraft.[1] We present intelligent flexible electronic skin with nonstretchable materials or structures for digital aerodynamic mapping of complex curvilinear surface of aircraft. Firstly,  Kirigami metamaterials provide a feasible way to the fabrication of conformal electronics with improved mechanical properties for novel applications such as electronic armor (E-armor) and conformal 3D antenna.[2,3] Inspired by freeform snakeskin composed of rigid scales and connective soft integument, we propose a novel soft-node-driven Kirigami E-armor as a conformal smart skin. Secondely, Under the inspiration of unprecedented sensing abilities (skin, synapse, immune system, and brain) of flying creatures, we innovatively propose an intelligent flexible sensing skin (iFlexSense) with multifunctional sensor array, data transmission, impact monitoring and artificial intelligence for aerodynamic measurement of complex surface. The iFlexSense skin that is mounted on a NACA 0012 airfoil is validated in wind tunnel test. [4] This smart skin can characterize the flow of the whole complex surface, which is imperative to perceive and improve aerodynamic performances of modern aircrafts. Thirdly, an in/near-sensor process system and data assimilation method are designed for real-time analyze the data from iFlexSense skin.[5] Finally, we further explore the effect of 3D structures on the surrounding flows under the inspiration of wind-dispersed seeds and developed a novel set of 3D electronic microfliers.[6] The iFlexSense skin has explored the feasibility of measurement for aerodynamic hehavior of aircraft.

References

[1] Y.A. Huang, C. Zhu, W. Xiong, Y. Wang, Y. Jiang, L. Qiu, D. Guo, C. Hou, S. Jiang, Z. Yang, B. Wang, L. Wang, Z. Yin, Science China Technological Sciences, 65(2023) 1-29

[2] J. Liu, S. Jiang, W. Xiong, C. Zhu, K. Li, Y. A. Huang*, Adv. Func. Mater., 32 (2022) 2109214.

[3] S. Jiang, X. Liu, J. Liu, D. Ye, Y. Duan, K. Li, Z.Yin, Y. A. Huang*, Adv. Mater., 34 (2022) 2200070.

[4] W. Xiong, C. Zhu, D. Guo, C. Hou, Z. Yang, Z. Xu, L. Qiu, H. Yang, K. Li, Y. A. Huang*, Nano Energy, 90 (2021) 106550.

[4] S Jiang, X Liu, J Liu, D Ye, Y Duan, K Li, Z Yin, YA Huang*, Flexible Metamaterial Electronics, Advanced Materials, 34(2022) 2200070

[6] B. H. Kim†, Kan Li†, J. T, Kim†, Y. Park†, H. Jang, X. Wang, Z. Xie, S. M. Won, H. Yoon, G. Lee, W. J. Jang, K. H. Lee, T. S. Chung, Y. H. Jung, S. Y. Heo, Y. Lee, J. Kim, T. Cai, Y. Kim, P. Prasopsukh, Y. Yu, X. Yu, R. Avila, H. Luan, H. Song, F. Zhu, Y. Zhao, L. Chen, S. Ho Han, J. Kim, S. J. Oh, H. Lee, C. H. Lee, Y. Huang*, L. P. Chamorro*, Y. Zhang*, J. A Rogers*, Nature, 597 (2021) 503-510.