The fins of a fish are often strengthened by embedded rays, and therefore
possess anisotropic flexibility. Tendons and muscles attached to these rays
allow the fish to actively control the motion and deformation of its fins. This
design greatly enhances the efficiency of fish locomotion. We
concentrate on numerical characterization of the structure versus function of
these bio-structures. The eventual application will be bio-inspired propulsion
systems.
Since there is more wind over seas than on land, water based wind turbines
potentially could offer a large source of renewable energy. Present day water
based turbines have only been designed for water depths less than 30 meters using
boring techniques. We research the possibility of creating a floating
water based wind turbine that could extend the reach of the wind power field to
deeper seas. The plan we analyze consists of a floating turbine with cable supports.
Red blood cells (RBC) carry oxygen to the entire human body. The ability to do this requires
extreme flexibility to squeeze through small capillaries. The blood cell does this through
its very unique biconcave shape. We create a three level model of the
RBC membrane in order to study how this important cell's structural properties enable
it's high functionality. We also looking into the possibility of applying these
discoveries into helping diseases such as Spherocytosis.
Traditional energy harvesting methods use turbine-based devices with rotating blades.
These designs may lead to structural weakness and environmental concerns. We analyze the
harvesting capabilities of a flapping foil flow energy harvester. First we analyze the
possibility/efficiency of creating a mode-activated system which generates energy from modal
fluctuations of the water flow. Then building off that we analyze the possibility of a
completely passive system which uses random flows to generate energy.