Abstract
We report recent efforts in the design and construction of water-walking machines inspired by insects and spiders. The fundamental physical constraints on the size, proportion and dynamics of natural water-walkers are enumerated and used as design criteria for analogous mechanical devices. We report devices capable of rowing along the surface, leaping off the surface and climbing menisci by deforming the free surface. The most critical design constraint is that the devices be lightweight and non-wetting. Microscale manufacturing techniques and new man-made materials such as hydrophobic coatings and thermally actuated wires are implemented. Using highspeed cinematography and flow visualization, we compare the functionality and dynamics of our devices with those of their natural counterparts.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Hu, D.L., Prakash, M., Chan, B., Bush, J.W.M. (2010). Water-walking devices. In: Taylor, G.K., Triantafyllou, M.S., Tropea, C. (eds) Animal Locomotion. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-11633-9_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-11633-9_12
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-11632-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-11633-9
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)