HAO, LIU: Computational biological fluid dynamics: digitizing and visualizing animal swimmign and flying

We propose a new paradigm of simulation-based analysis of biological fluid phenomena, which is designed as an efficient means for predicting dynamics and energetics of animal swimming and flying. We highlight an integrated computational mechanical system we developed recently, involving descriptions of the computer-aided reconstruction of morphology and kinematics, the solutions to the dynamics of self-propelled propulsion and the Navier-Stokes equations, and the visualization techniques. We present several computational fluid dynamic (CFD) studies of fish swimming and insect flight, and address what kinds of things the CFD is capable to tell us about the animal swimming and flying.