Welcome

The AIMS Lab at the University of Michigan is run by Daniel J. Inman.

We advance the field of aerospace engineering by investigating adaptive, intelligent, and multifunctional systems.

Research


If we worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true really is true, then there would be little hope for advance
— Orville Wright

It is the culmination of the study of controls, fluid dynamics, structural dynamics, and materials science that make up aerospace engineering as a whole. What makes the AIMS Lab unique is that our research embraces many of these fields. We strive to develop innovative and novel solutions to complex aerospace engineering dilemmas via smart materials and structures. We take a multidisciplinary approach by working at the intersection of simulated and experimental structural dynamics.

Current Members 



Past University of Michigan Graduates:

  • Piper Sigrest, Novel Whiffling-Inspired Gapped Wings as Control Surfaces, Blue Origin (2023)

  • Kevin Haughn, Intelligence for Morphing Aircraft. Army Research Lab (2022)

  • Christina Harvey, Avian wing joints for longitudinal stability. UC Davis (2022).

  • Lori Groo, Sensing Fiber-reinforced Composites. Air Force Research Lab (2021).

  • Krystal Acosta. Pyroelectric effects of Macro-fiber Composites. NASA Kennedy Space Center (2020).

  • Brittany Essink. Mechanical Metamaterials. Exponent Consulting (2019).

  • Andrew Lee. Smart Bistable Composites. North Carolina State University (2019).

  • Lawren Gamble. Bioinspired Rudderless Morphing. Exponent Consulting (2018).

  • Katie Reichl. Metastructure Vibration Suppression. Komatsu Mining (2018).

  • Alex Pankonien, Avian Inspired Morphing. Air Force Research Lab (2014).

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Publications

2023

  • Sigrest, P., Wu, N. , & Inman, D.J. (2023, May), Energy considerations and flow fields over whiffling-inspired wings, Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, Vol. 18 No. 4, DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/acd28f

  • Inman, D. J., Haughn, K. P., & Harvey, C. (2023, April). Nature, smart structures, and morphing UAVs. In Sensors and Smart Structures Technologies for Civil, Mechanical, and Aerospace Systems 2023 (Vol. 12486, p. 1248602). SPIE. DOI: 10.1117/12.2666179

  • Haughn, K.P.T, Gamble, L.L., & Inman, D.J. (2023). deep reinforcement learning achieves multifunctional morphing airfoil control. journal of composite materials. doi: 10.1177/00219983221137644

2022

  • Harvey, C., Gamble, L.L., Bolander, C.R. , Hunsaker, D.F. , Joo, J.J., & Inman, D.J. . (2022). A review of avian-inspired morphing for UAV flight control. Progress in Aerospace Sciences. doi: 10.1016/j.paerosci.2022.100825

  • Lopes, K. W., Gonsalez-Bueno, C. G., Inman, D. J., & Bueno, D. D. (2022, April). On the frequencies for structural health monitoring in plates with asymmetrical damage: an analytical approach. In Health Monitoring of Structural and Biological Systems XVI (Vol. 12048, pp. 89-104). SPIE. DOI: 10.1117/12.2612224

  • Sigrest, P., & Inman, D. J. (2022). Avian whiffling-inspired gaps provide an alternative method for roll control. Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, 17(4), 046014. DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ac7303

  • Harvey, C., Baliga, V.B., Wong, J.C.M., alTSHULER, d.l. & iNMAN, d.j. (2022). Birds can transition between stable and unstable states via wing morphing. Nature. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04477-8

  • HAUGHN, K.P.T. & Inman, D.j., (2022). Autonomous Learning in a Pseudo-Episodic Physical Environment. Journal of Intelligent & Robotic Systemsdoi: 10.1007/s10846-022-01577-5

  • Ji, H., Han, B., Cheng, Li, Inman, D. J., and Qiu, J., (2022) Frequency attenuation band with low vibration transmission in a finite-size plate strip embedded with 2D acoustic black holes”, Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, Vol. 163, 15 January 2022, 108149. DOI: 10.1016/j.ymssp.2021.108149

2021

2020

  • Groo, L., Nasser, J., Zhang, L., Steinke, K., Inman, D.j., & Sodano, H., (2020). Laser Induced Graphene in Fiberglass-Reinforced Composites for Strain and Damage Sensing. Composites Science and Technologydoi: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2020.108367 

  • Gamble, L. L., Harvey, C., & Inman, D. J. (2020). Load alleviation of feather-inspired compliant airfoils for instantaneous flow control. Bioinspiration & Biomimetics. doi: 10.1088/1748-3190/ab9b6f

  • Sigrest, P. & Inman, D.J. (2020). Effect of Spanwise Trailing Edge Gaps on Aerodynamic Performance. in AIAA SciTech 2020 Forum. Orlando, FL. DOI: 10.2514/6.2020-2007

  • Gamble, L. L., & Inman, D. J. (2020). Aeroelastic Design and Analysis of a Bioinspired Flexible Airfoil. In AIAA Scitech 2020 Forum (p. 1540). DOI: 10.2514/6.2020-1540

  • Harvey, C., Baliga, V. B., & Inman, D. J. (2020). Control force required to morph the elbow and wrist in gulls. In AIAA Scitech 2020 Forum (p. 1037). DOi: 10.2514/6.2020-1037

2019

  • Groo, L., Steinke, K., Inman, D. J., & Sodano, H. A. (2019). Vibration Damping Mechanism of Fiber-Reinforced Composites with Integrated Piezoelectric Nanowires. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 11(50), 47373-47381. doi: 10.1021/acsami.9b17029

  • Acosta, K. L., Srivastava, S., Wilkie, W. K., and Inman, D. J., “Primary and Secondary Pyroelectric Effects in Macro-fiber Composites”, Composites Part B: Engineering, 2019.

  • Harvey. C. & INman D.J. (2019). A Finite Element analysis of A Gull Wing Through Varied Morphed Configurations. in 30th International Conference on Adaptive Structures and Technologies. Montreal, Canada

  • Gamble. L. G. & Lamoureux A. (2019). Aerodynamic Control via Multifunctional Composite Kirigami Skins. in 30th International Conference on Adaptive Structures and Technologies. Montreal, Canada

  • Lee, A. J., & Inman, D. J. (2019). Extension of cross-well bandwidths for a bistable oscillator. In Active and Passive Smart Structures and Integrated Systems XII (Vol. 10967, p. 109670H). International Society for Optics and Photonics.

  • Lee, A. J., & Fernandez, J. M. (2019). Inducing Bistability in Collapsible Tubular Mast Booms with Thin-Ply Composite Shells. Composite Structures, 111166.

  • Lee, A. J., & Inman, D. J. (2019). Electromechanical modelling of a bistable plate with Macro Fiber Composites under nonlinear vibrations. Journal of Sound and Vibration, 446, 326-342. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsv.2019.01.045

  • Harvey, C., Baliga, V. B., Lavoie, P., & Altshuler, D. L. (2019). Wing morphing allows gulls to modulate static pitch stability during gliding. Journal of the Royal Society Interface16(150), 20180641.

  • Harvey, C., Baliga, V. B., Altshuler, D. L., & Inman, D. J. (2019). Pitch Control Effectiveness of the Avian Elbow and Wrist via a Numerical Lifting Line Analysis. In AIAA Scitech 2019 Forum (p. 0853).

  • Fernandez, J. M., & Lee, A. J. (2019). Bistability of Collapsible Tubular Mast Booms with High-Strain Thin-Ply Composites. In AIAA Scitech 2019 Forum (p. 1257)

2018

  • Lee, A. J., & Inman, D. J. (2018). Electromechanical Response of a Bistable Laminate with Macro Fiber Composites from Nonlinear Vibrations", In 29th International Conference on Adaptive Structures and Technologies, Seoul, South Korea.

  • Groo, L., Sodano, H. A., Inman, D. J. (2017). “Piezoelectric Zinc Oxide Nanowires for Use in Acoustic Emission Testing,” Proceedings of the American Society for Composites 32nd Annual Technical Conference, West Lafayette, Indiana.

  • Haughn, K. P., Gamble, L. L., & Inman, D. J. (2018). Horizontal Planform Morphing Tail for an Avian Inspired UAV Using Shape Memory Alloys. In ASME 2018 Conference on Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures and Intelligent Systems (pp. V002T06A003)

  • Lee, A. J., Xie, A., & Inman, D. J. (2018). Suppression of Cross-Well Oscillations With Active Control of a Bistable Laminate. In ASME 2018 Conference on Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures and Intelligent Systems (pp. V001T03A002-V001T03A002).

  • Groo, L., Inman, D. J., Sodano, H. A. (2018). “In Situ Damage Detection for Fiber-Reinforced Composites Using Integrated Zinc Oxide Nanowires,” Advanced Functional Materials, 28(35), DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201802846.

  • Gamble, L. L., Harvey C., Inman, D. J. (2018) “Analysis of a Morphing Bioinspired Flexible Trailing Edge Concept,” Proceedings of the 29th International Conference on Adaptive Structures and Technologies, Seoul, South Korea

  • Lee, A. J., & Inman, D. J. (2018). Broadband Energy Harvesting Performance of a Piezoelectrically Generated Bistable Laminate. In Sensors and Instrumentation, Aircraft/Aerospace and Energy Harvesting, Volume 8: Proceedings of the 36th IMAC, Volume 8 (pp. 1-14).

  • Acosta, K.L, & Wilkie, W.K, & Inman D.J. (2018). Characterizing the pyroelectric coefficient for macro-fiber compositesSmart Materials and Structures, DOI: 10.1088/1361-665X/aadc70

  • Gamble, L. L., and Inman, D. J. (2018). A tale of two tails: developing an avian inspired morphing actuator for yaw control and stability. Bioinspiration & biomimetics13(2), 026008, DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190.

  • Lee, A. J., & Inman, D. J. (2018). A multifunctional bistable laminate: Snap-through morphing enabled by broadband energy harvesting. Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, 1045389X18770895. 

  • Lee, A., & Fernandez, J. M. (2018). Mechanics of Bistable Two-Shelled Composite Booms. In 2018 AIAA Spacecraft Structures Conference (p. 0938).

2017

  •  Lee, A. J., Moosavian, A., & Inman, D. J. (2017). Piezoelectrically strained bistable laminates with macro fiber composites. In Active and Passive Smart Structures and Integrated Systems 2017 (Vol. 10164, p. 101640C). International Society for Optics and Photonics.

  • Lee, A. J., Moosavian, A., & Inman, D. J. (2017). Control and characterization of a bistable laminate generated with piezoelectricity. Smart Materials and Structures26(8), 085007

  • L.L. Gamble and D.J. Inman, (2017) Why morphology matters in birds and UAV's: How scale affects attitude wind sensitivity, Applied Physics Letters, 20. doi: 10.1063/1.4997790

  • K. K. Reichl and D. J. Inman, (2017) Lumped mass model of a 1D metastructure for vibration suppresion with no additional mass, J. Sound VibDOI:10.1016/j.jsv.2017.05.026.

  • K. K. Reichl and D. J. Inman, (2017) Constant Mass Metastructure with Vibration Absorbers of Linearly Varying Natural Frequencies, in 35th International Modal Analysis Conference, DOI:10.1007/978-3-319-54810-4_16.

  • L. L. Gamble, A. M. Pankonien, and D.J. Inman.  "Stall Recovery of a Morphing Wing via Extended Nonlinear Lifting-Line Theory"., prepublished may 25, 2017, DOI: 10.2514/1.J055042

  • Rabelo, D.S., Hobeck, J.D., Inman, D.J., Finzi Neto, R.M., and Steffen Jr., V., 2017, Real-Time Structural Health Monitoring of Fatigue Crack on Aluminum Beam Using an Impedance-Based Portable Device, Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, Prepublished May 17, 2017, doi:10.1177/1045389X17705213

  • Hobeck, J.D. and Inman, D.J., 2017, Recursive Formulae and Performance Comparisons for First Mode Dynamics of Periodic Structures, Smart Materials and Structures, vol. 26, no. 5, 055028, doi:10.1088/1361-665X/aa672b

  • Essink, B.C., Owen, R.B., Inman, D.J., "Optimization of a Zigzag Shaped Energy Harvester for Wireless Sensing Applications," In Special topics in Structural Dynamics, Volume 6, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-53841-9_7

  • Zhou, S., Hobeck, J.D., Cao, J., and Inman, D.J., Analytical and Experimental Investigation of Flexible Longitudinal Zigzag Structures for Enhanced Multi-Directional Energy Harvesting, Smart Materials and Structures, vol. 26, no. 3, 035008, doi: 10.1088/1361-665X/26/3/035008

  • Hobeck, J. D. and Inman, D. J., Simultaneous Passive Broadband Vibration Suppression and Energy Harvesting with Metastructures, Proc. SPIE, (Portland, OR), 25-29 Mar 2017

  • Acosta, K. L., Hobeck, J. D., Owen, R. B., and Inman, D. J., 2017, Macro-Fiber Composites Under Thermal Cycles for Space Applications, Proc. SPIE, (Portland, OR), 25-29 Mar 2017

  • Rabelo, D.S., Hobeck, J.D., Inman, D.J., Finzi Neto, R.M., and Steffen Jr., V., 2017, Monitoring of Fatigue Crack Growth Using a Low-Cost Data Acquisition Device for Impedance-Based SHM Considering Dynamic Measurements,XVII International Symposium on Dynamic Problems of Mechanics (DINAME 2017), ABCM, São Sebastião, SP, Brazil, 5-10 Mar., 2017.

  •  Moosavian, A., Sun, C. Z., Xi, F., and Inman, D. J., “Dimensional Synthesis of a Multi-loop Linkage with Single Input Using Parameterized Curves,” ASME Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics (in press). 

  • Gamble, L. L., Moosavian, A., & Inman, D. J. (2017). Effects of Speed on Coupled Sweep and Camber in Morphing Wings. In 55th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, SciTech forum, (p. 0267).

  • LEE, ANDREW J., AMIN MOOSAVIAN, AND DANIEL J. INMAN. A PIEZOELECTRICALLY GENERATED BISTABLE LAMINATE FOR MORPHING. MATERIALS LETTERS 190 (2017): 123-126.

2016

  • K. K. Reichl and D. J. Inman, “Dynamic Modulus Properties of Objet Connex 3D Printer Digital Materials,” in 34thInternational Modal Analysis Conference, 2016, DOI:10.1007/978-3-319-30249-2_15.

  • K. K. Reichl and D. J. Inman, “Metastructures and Active Vibration Control,” in 27th International Conference on Adaptive Structures Technologies, 2016

  • Moosavian, A., Sun, C. Z., Xi, F., and Inman, D. J., “A Single Input-Multiple Output Curve Adaptive Linkage Array,” Proceedings of the 40th ASME Mechanisms and Robotics Conference, Charlotte, North Carolina, 2016.

  • Lee, A. J., Moosavian, A., and Inman, D. J., “An Investigation into Piezoelectrically Induced Bistability,” Proceedings of the 27th International Conference on Adaptive Structures and Technologies, Lake George, New York, 2016.

  • GAMBLE, LAWREN L., AND DANIEL J. INMAN. Aerodynamic Performance of a Bioinspired Morphing Tailless Aircraft Concept, 27TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ADAPTIVE STRUCTURES AND TECHNOLOGIES. 2016

  • Moosavian, A., Gamble, L. L., Pankonien, A. M., & Inman, D. J. (2016, September). Bio-Inspired Coupling of Camber and Sweep in Morphing Wings. In ASME 2016 Conference on Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures and Intelligent Systems. American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

  • Hobeck, J. D., Owen, R.B., and Inman, D. J., 2016, Impedance Drift due to Thermal Cycling of Macro Fiber Composites, Proc. of the 24th International Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, (Montreal, Canada), 21-26 Aug 2016

  • Hobeck, J. D. and Inman, D. J., 2016, Metastructures for Vibration Suppression, Proc. of the 24th International Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, (Montreal, Canada), 21-26 Aug 2016

  • Essink, B.C., Owen, R.B., Inman, D.J., "Wireless Broadband Magnetoelastic Energy Harvesting Module," Proceedings of the 27th International Conference on Adaptive Structures and Technologies, 2016.

  • Santos, A. A., Hobeck, J.D., and Inman, D.J., 2016, Analytical Modeling of Orthogonal Spiral Structures, Smart Materials and Structures (in press)

  • GAMBLE, L. L., & INMAN, D. J.,  yAW CONTROL OF A SMART MORPHING TAILLESS AIRCRAFT CONCEPTPROC. OF THE 6TH international conference OF Smart and Multifunctional Materials, Structures and Systems, (perugia, italy), jun 2016. DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/AST.101.127

  • Essink, B. C., & Inman, D. J. (2016). Optimized 3D Printed Chiral Lattice for Broadband Vibration Suppression. In Topics in Modal Analysis & Testing, Volume 10 (pp. 199-203). Springer International Publishing.

  • Hobeck, J. D., Owen, R. B., and Inman, D. J., "Residual thermal effects in macro fiber composite actuators exposed to persistent temperature cycling", Applied Physics Letters. 2016

  • Hobeck, J. D., and D. J. Inman. "Dual cantilever flutter: Experimentally validated lumped parameter modeling and numerical characterization." Journal of Fluids and Structures 6.1 2016: 324-338

  • Essink, B.C., Inman, D.J., "A Comparison of Damping and Vibration in Metastructures," Proceedings of the ISMA 2016 Conference on Noise and Vibration Engineering.

  • Reichl, Katherine K., and Daniel J. Inman. "Finite Element Modeling of Longitudinal Metastructures for Passive Vibration Suppression." 57th AIAA/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference. 2016

  •  Pankonien, Alexander M., Gamble, Lawren L., Et al.  "Synergistic Smart Morphing AIleron: Capabilites Identification." 24th AIAA/AHS Adaptive Structures Conference, AIAA SciTech. 2016

  2015

  •  Zhou, Shengxi, Daniel J. Inman, and Junyi Cao. "A Linear-Element Coupled Nonlinear Energy Harvesting System." ASME 2015 Conference on Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures and Intelligent Systems. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2015

  • Hobeck, J. D., and D. J. Inman. “The Jd number: An empirical constant for predicting dual cantilever flutter velocity.” Applied Physics Letters 106.24 (2015): 244103

  • Gamble, Lawren L., PANKONIEN, ALEXANDER M., AND DANIEL J. INMAN. “Stall Recovery of the Span-wise Morphing Trailing Edge Concept via an Optimized Nonlinear Model.” 26TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ADAPTIVE STRUCTURES AND TECHNOLOGIES. 2015

  • Pankonien, Alexander M., and Daniel J. Inman. “Spanwise morphing trailing edge on a finite wing.” SPIE Smart Structures and Materials+ Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring. International Society for Optics and Photonics, 2015

  • Hobeck, Jared D., Charles MV Laurent, and Daniel J. Inman. “3D PRINTING OF METASTRUCTURES FOR PASSIVE BROADBAND VIBRATION SUPPRESSION.” International Conference on Composite Materials, 2015

  • Reichl, K. K., and Inman, D. J., “Modelling of low-frequency broadband vibration mitigation for a bar experiencing longitudinal vibrations using distributed vibration absorbers,” 20th International Conference on Composite Materials, Copenhagen, Denmark: 2015

  • Hobeck, J.D.; Inman, D.J., “Low-Cost Pressure Probe Sensor for Predicting Turbulence-Induced Vibration From Invasive Low-Velocity Turbulent Flow Measurements,” in Sensors Journal, IEEE , vol.15, no.8, pp.4373-4379, Aug. 2015

  • Hobeck, Jared D., and Daniel J. Inman. “Magnetoelastic metastructures for passive broadband vibration suppression.” SPIE Smart Structures and Materials+ Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring. International Society for Optics and Photonics, 2015

  • Essink, Brittany C.,Jared D. Hobeck, Robert B. Owen, and Daniel J. Inman. “Magnetoelastic energy harvester for structural health monitoring applications.” SPIE Smart Structures and Materials+ Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring. International Society for Optics and Photonics, 2015

  • Zhou, Shengxi, et al. “Impact-induced high-energy orbits of nonlinear energy harvesters.” Applied Physics Letters 106.9 (2015): 093901.</li>

  • Hobeck, J. D., and Inman, D. J., "Energy Harvesting from Dual Cantilever Flutter", Proc. of the 10th International Symposium on Vibrations of Continuous Systems, Stanley Hotel, (Estes Park, Colorado), 2015

  2014

  • Zhou, Shengxi, et al. “Broadband tristable energy harvester: Modeling and experiment verification.” Applied Energy 133 (2014): 33-39

  • Hobeck, J. D., and D. J. Inman. “A distributed parameter electromechanical and statistical model for energy harvesting from turbulence-induced vibration.”Smart Materials and Structures 23.11 (2014): 115003

  • Cao, Junyi, Shengxi Zhou, and Daniel J. Inman. “Nonlinear Characteristics for Rotatable Magnetically Coupling Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters.” ASME 2014 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2014.

  • Pankonien, Alexander M., Cassio T. Faria, and Daniel J. Inman. “Synergistic smart morphing aileron: Experimental quasi-static performance characterization.” Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures (2014): 1045389X14538530

  • Hobeck, Jared D., Damien Geslain, and Daniel J. Inman. “The dual cantilever flutter phenomenon: A novel energy harvesting method.” SPIE Smart Structures and Materials+ Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring. International Society for Optics and Photonics, 2014

  • Faria, Cassio T., and Daniel J. Inman. “Modeling energy transport in a cantilevered Euler–Bernoulli beam actively vibrating in Newtonian fluid.”Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing 45.2 (2014): 317-329

  • Pankonien, Alexander M., and Daniel J. Inman. “Aeroelastic performance evaluation of a flexure box morphing airfoil concept.” SPIE Smart Structures and Materials+ Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring. International Society for Optics and Photonics, 2014

  • Faria, Cassio T., Robert B. Owen, and Daniel J. Inman. “Micro-fiber composites performance under thermal cycling for impedance-based SHM applications.”SPIE Smart Structures and Materials+ Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring. International Society for Optics and Photonics, 2014

  • Lee, Andrew J., Ya Wang, and Daniel J. Inman. “Energy harvesting of piezoelectric stack actuator from a shock event.” Journal of Vibration and Acoustics 136.1 (2014): 011016

  • Pankonien, Alexander M., and Daniel J. Inman. “Aerodynamic Performance of a Spanwise Morphing Trailing Edge Concept.” 25th International Conference on Adaptive Structures and Technologies. 2014

  • Pankonien, Alexander M., et al. “Synergistic smart morphing aileron: Aero-structural performance analysis.”22nd AIAA/ASME/AHS Adaptive Structures Conference. 2014