1
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Lin S, Chou N, Li G, Bao D, Wang G, Xie YM. A self-adapting woven net trap based on the evolution mechanism of orb-web topology. Acta Biomater 2024; 173:217-230. [PMID: 37981043 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
The development of structures that can adapt spontaneously to achieve desired functions in complex environments is crucial for new unmanned countermeasures, such as prey capture or net-recovery. Conventional structural optimization methods based on a singular net-like configuration may lead to functional limitations and fail to achieve specific objectives. In this study, we utilized an evolutionary algorithm that incorporated mechanical features and biological corrections to construct spider threads with advanced properties capable of efficient and reliable trapping behavior in arbitrary boundary conditions. We employed distinct thread types in different components, which achieved distinguished stiffness and strength that could not be accomplished by a single kind of thread. By assembling prestress reinforcement threads, we developed an orb-web-like trap that demonstrated effective trapping performance in experiments. The adaptive evolutionary method could be applied to design intelligent intercepting devices suited to particular functions and extreme environments, with wide application prospects in net-recovery system of UAV. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Structures that adapt spontaneously to perform desired functions in difficult environments are crucial for rising unmanned countermeasures. Conventional structural optimization methods based on a singular net-like configuration may lead to functional limitations and fail to achieve specific objectives. We used an evolutionary algorithm that combined mechanical features and biological corrections to create spider threads in arbitrary boundary circumstances in this work. The adaptive evolutionary method could be applied to design intelligent intercepting devices suited to particular functions and extreme environments, with wide application prospects in net-recovery system of UAV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sen Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Design and Manufacturing Technology for Vehicle, College of Mechanical and Vehicle Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Nengzhuo Chou
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Design and Manufacturing Technology for Vehicle, College of Mechanical and Vehicle Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Guangyao Li
- Shenzhen Automotive Research Institute (Shenzhen Research Institute of National, Engineering Laboratory for Electric Vehicles), Beijing Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518118, China.
| | - Dingwen Bao
- Centre for Innovative Structures and Materials, School of Engineering, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne 3001, Australia; School of Architecture and Urban Design, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne 3001, Australia
| | - Guoping Wang
- School of Computer Science, Peking University, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Yi Min Xie
- Centre for Innovative Structures and Materials, School of Engineering, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne 3001, Australia
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2
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Wu J, Miller TE, Cicirello A, Mortimer B. Spider dynamics under vertical vibration and its implications for biological vibration sensing. J R Soc Interface 2023; 20:20230365. [PMID: 37700709 PMCID: PMC10498355 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2023.0365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Often overlooked, vibration transmission through the entire body of an animal is an important factor in understanding vibration sensing in animals. To investigate the role of dynamic properties and vibration transmission through the body, we used a modal test and lumped parameter modelling for a spider. The modal test used laser vibrometry data on a tarantula, and revealed five modes of the spider in the frequency range of 20-200 Hz. Our developed and calibrated model took into account the bounce, pitch and roll of the spider body and bounce of all the eight legs. We then performed a parametric study using this calibrated model, varying factors such as mass, inertia, leg stiffness, damping, angle and span to study what effect they had on vibration transmission. The results support that some biomechanical parameters can act as physical constraints on vibration sensing. But also, that the spider may actively control some biomechanical parameters to change the signal intensity it can sense. Furthermore, our analysis shows that the parameter changes in front and back legs have a greater influence on whole system dynamics, so may be of particular importance for active control mechanisms to facilitate biological sensing functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wu
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Alice Cicirello
- Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Engineering Structures, Section of Mechanics and Physics of Structures, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Beth Mortimer
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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3
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Lu W, Lee NA, Buehler MJ. Modeling and design of heterogeneous hierarchical bioinspired spider web structures using deep learning and additive manufacturing. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2305273120. [PMID: 37487072 PMCID: PMC10401013 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2305273120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Spider webs are incredible biological structures, comprising thin but strong silk filament and arranged into complex hierarchical architectures with striking mechanical properties (e.g., lightweight but high strength, achieving diverse mechanical responses). While simple 2D orb webs can easily be mimicked, the modeling and synthesis of 3D-based web structures remain challenging, partly due to the rich set of design features. Here, we provide a detailed analysis of the heterogeneous graph structures of spider webs and use deep learning as a way to model and then synthesize artificial, bioinspired 3D web structures. The generative models are conditioned based on key geometric parameters (including average edge length, number of nodes, average node degree, and others). To identify graph construction principles, we use inductive representation sampling of large experimentally determined spider web graphs, to yield a dataset that is used to train three conditional generative models: 1) an analog diffusion model inspired by nonequilibrium thermodynamics, with sparse neighbor representation; 2) a discrete diffusion model with full neighbor representation; and 3) an autoregressive transformer architecture with full neighbor representation. All three models are scalable, produce complex, de novo bioinspired spider web mimics, and successfully construct graphs that meet the design objectives. We further propose an algorithm that assembles web samples produced by the generative models into larger-scale structures based on a series of geometric design targets, including helical and parametric shapes, mimicking, and extending natural design principles toward integration with diverging engineering objectives. Several webs are manufactured using 3D printing and tested to assess mechanical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Lu
- Laboratory for Atomistic and Molecular Mechanics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - Nic A. Lee
- Laboratory for Atomistic and Molecular Mechanics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
- Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - Markus J. Buehler
- Laboratory for Atomistic and Molecular Mechanics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
- Center for Computational Science and Engineering, Schwarzman College of Computing, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
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4
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Hesselberg T, Gálvez D. Spider Ecology and Behaviour-Spiders as Model Organisms. INSECTS 2023; 14:330. [PMID: 37103145 PMCID: PMC10143103 DOI: 10.3390/insects14040330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Spiders are versatile and ubiquitous generalist predators that can be found in all terrestrial ecosystems except for Antarctica [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Hesselberg
- Department for Continuing Education, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JA, UK
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PJ, UK
| | - Dumas Gálvez
- Coiba Scientific Station, Panama City 0843-01853, Panama
- Programa Centroamericano de Maestría en Entomología, Universidad de Panamá, Panama City 0824, Panama
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City P.O. Box 0843-03092, Panama
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5
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Blamires SJ, Rawal A, Edwards AD, Yarger JL, Oberst S, Allardyce BJ, Rajkhowa R. Methods for Silk Property Analyses across Structural Hierarchies and Scales. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28052120. [PMID: 36903366 PMCID: PMC10003856 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28052120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Silk from silkworms and spiders is an exceptionally important natural material, inspiring a range of new products and applications due to its high strength, elasticity, and toughness at low density, as well as its unique conductive and optical properties. Transgenic and recombinant technologies offer great promise for the scaled-up production of new silkworm- and spider-silk-inspired fibres. However, despite considerable effort, producing an artificial silk that recaptures the physico-chemical properties of naturally spun silk has thus far proven elusive. The mechanical, biochemical, and other properties of pre-and post-development fibres accordingly should be determined across scales and structural hierarchies whenever feasible. We have herein reviewed and made recommendations on some of those practices for measuring the bulk fibre properties; skin-core structures; and the primary, secondary, and tertiary structures of silk proteins and the properties of dopes and their proteins. We thereupon examine emerging methodologies and make assessments on how they might be utilized to realize the goal of developing high quality bio-inspired fibres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean J. Blamires
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
- Correspondence:
| | - Aditya Rawal
- Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Angela D. Edwards
- School of Molecular Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA
| | - Jeffrey L. Yarger
- School of Molecular Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA
| | - Sebastian Oberst
- School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | | | - Rangam Rajkhowa
- Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
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6
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Prey localization in spider orb webs using modal vibration analysis. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19045. [PMID: 36351940 PMCID: PMC9646800 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22898-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Spider webs are finely tuned multifunctional structures, widely studied for their prey capture functionalities such as impact strength and stickiness. However, they are also sophisticated sensing tools that enable the spider to precisely determine the location of impact and capture the prey before it escapes. In this paper, we suggest a new mechanism for this detection process, based on potential modal analysis capabilities of the spider, using its legs as distinct distributed point sensors. To do this, we consider a numerical model of the web structure, including asymmetry in the design, prestress, and geometrical nonlinearity effects. We show how vibration signals deriving from impacts can be decomposed into web eigenmode components, through which the spider can efficiently trace the source location. Based on this numerical analysis, we discuss the role of the web structure, asymmetry, and prestress in the imaging mechanism, confirming the role of the latter in tuning the web response to achieve an efficient prey detection instrument. The results can be relevant for efficient distributed impact sensing applications.
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7
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Zhou J, Lai J, Menda G, Stafstrom JA, Miles CI, Hoy RR, Miles RN. Outsourced hearing in an orb-weaving spider that uses its web as an auditory sensor. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2122789119. [PMID: 35349337 PMCID: PMC9169088 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2122789119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
SignificanceThe sense of hearing in all known animals relies on possessing auditory organs that are made up of cellular tissues and constrained by body sizes. We show that hearing in the orb-weaving spider is functionally outsourced to its extended phenotype, the proteinaceous self-manufactured web, and hence processes behavioral controllability. This finding opens new perspectives on animal extended cognition and hearing-the outsourcing and supersizing of auditory function in spiders. This study calls for reinvestigation of the remarkable evolutionary ecology and sensory ecology in spiders-one of the oldest land animals. The sensory modality of outsourced hearing provides a unique model for studying extended and regenerative sensing and presents new design features for inspiring novel acoustic flow detectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Zhou
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902
- Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439
| | - Junpeng Lai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902
| | - Gil Menda
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Jay A. Stafstrom
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Carol I. Miles
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902
| | - Ronald R. Hoy
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Ronald N. Miles
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902
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8
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Validation of a Novel Stereo Vibrometry Technique for Spiderweb Signal Analysis. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13040310. [PMID: 35447752 PMCID: PMC9024423 DOI: 10.3390/insects13040310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
From courtship rituals, to prey identification, to displays of rivalry, a spider's web vibrates with a symphony of information. Examining the modality of information being transmitted and how spiders interact with this information could lead to new understanding how spiders perceive the world around them through their webs, and new biological and engineering techniques that leverage this understanding. Spiders interact with their webs through a variety of body motions, including abdominal tremors, bounces, and limb jerks along threads of the web. These signals often create a large enough visual signature that the web vibrations can be analyzed using video vibrometry on high-speed video of the communication exchange. Using video vibrometry to examine these signals has numerous benefits over the conventional method of laser vibrometry, such as the ability to analyze three-dimensional vibrations and the ability to take measurements from anywhere in the web, including directly from the body of the spider itself. In this study, we developed a method of three-dimensional vibration analysis that combines video vibrometry with stereo vision, and verified this method against laser vibrometry on a black widow spiderweb that was experiencing rivalry signals from two female spiders.
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9
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Bisshop A. Arachnomadology: A Zoētic Framework for Queering Stories of Spider Sex, Life, and Death. AUSTRALIAN FEMINIST STUDIES 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/08164649.2022.2051165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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10
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Dal Poggetto VF, Bosia F, Greco G, Pugno NM. Prey Impact Localization Enabled by Material and Structural Interaction in Spider Orb Webs. ADVANCED THEORY AND SIMULATIONS 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/adts.202100282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vinícius F. Dal Poggetto
- Laboratory for Bioinspired, Bionic, Nano, Meta Materials & Mechanics, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering University of Trento Trento 38123 Italy
| | | | - Gabriele Greco
- Laboratory for Bioinspired, Bionic, Nano, Meta Materials & Mechanics, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering University of Trento Trento 38123 Italy
| | - Nicola M. Pugno
- Laboratory for Bioinspired, Bionic, Nano, Meta Materials & Mechanics, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering University of Trento Trento 38123 Italy
- School of Engineering and Materials Science Queen Mary University of London Mile End Road London E1 4NS UK
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11
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Abstract
Spiders are nature's engineers that build lightweight and high-performance web architectures often several times their size and with very few supports; however, little is known about web mechanics and geometries throughout construction, especially for three-dimensional (3D) spider webs. In this work, we investigate the structure and mechanics for a Tidarren sisyphoides spider web at varying stages of construction. This is accomplished by imaging, modeling, and simulations throughout the web-building process to capture changes in the natural web geometry and the mechanical properties. We show that the foundation of the web geometry, strength, and functionality is created during the first 2 d of construction, after which the spider reinforces the existing network with limited expansion of the structure within the frame. A better understanding of the biological and mechanical performance of the 3D spider web under construction could inspire sustainable robust and resilient fiber networks, complex materials, structures, scaffolding, and self-assembly strategies for hierarchical structures and inspire additive manufacturing methods such as 3D printing as well as inspire artistic and architectural and engineering applications.
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12
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Dynamic environments do not appear to constrain spider web building behaviour. Naturwissenschaften 2021; 108:20. [PMID: 33914167 PMCID: PMC8084787 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-021-01725-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Many laboratory experiments demonstrate how orb-web spiders change the architecture of their webs in response to prey, surroundings and wind loading. The overall shape of the web and a range of other web parameters are determined by frame and anchor threads. In the wild, unlike the lab, the anchor threads are attached to branches and leaves that are not stationary but move, which affects the thread tension field. Here we experimentally test the effect of a moving support structure on the construction behaviour and web-parameters of the garden cross spider Araneus diadematus. We found no significant differences in building behaviour between rigid and moving anchors in total time spent and total distance covered nor in the percentage of the total time spent and distance covered to build the three major web components: radials, auxiliary and capture spirals. Moreover, measured key parameters of web-geometry were equally unaffected. These results call for re-evaluation of common understanding of spider webs as thread tensions are often considered to be a major factor guiding the spider during construction and web-operation.
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13
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Sivalinghem S, Mason AC. Vibratory communication in a black widow spider (Latrodectus hesperus): signal structure and signalling mechanisms. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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14
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Gomes DGE, Hesselberg T, Barber JR. Phantom river noise alters orb‐weaving spider abundance, web size and prey capture. Funct Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dylan G. E. Gomes
- Department of Biological Sciences Boise State University Boise ID USA
| | | | - Jesse R. Barber
- Department of Biological Sciences Boise State University Boise ID USA
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15
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Miller TE, Mortimer B. Control vs. Constraint: Understanding the Mechanisms of Vibration Transmission During Material-Bound Information Transfer. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.587846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Material-bound vibrations are ubiquitous in the environment and are widely used as an information source by animals, whether they are generated by biotic or abiotic sources. The process of vibration information transfer is subject to a wide range of physical constraints, especially during the vibration transmission phase. This is because vibrations must travel through materials in the environment and body of the animal before reaching embedded mechanosensors. Morphology therefore plays a key and often overlooked role in shaping information flow. Web-building spiders are ideal organisms for studying vibration information transfer due to the level of control they have over morphological traits, both within the web (environment) and body, which can give insights for bioinspired design. Here we investigate the mechanisms governing vibration information transfer, including the relative roles of constraints and control mechanisms. We review the known and theoretical contributions of morphological and behavioral traits to vibration transmission in these spiders, and propose an interdisciplinary framework for considering the effects of these traits from a biomechanical perspective. Whereas morphological traits act as a series of springs, dampers and masses arranged in a specific geometry to influence vibration transmission, behavioral traits influence these morphologies often over small timescales in response to changing conditions. We then explore the relative roles of constraints and control mechanisms in shaping the variation of these traits at various taxonomic levels. This analysis reveals the importance of morphology modification to gain control over vibration transmission to mitigate constraints and essentially promote information transfer. In particular, we hypothesize that morphological computation is used by spiders during vibration information transfer to reduce the amount of processing required by the central nervous system (CNS); a hypothesis that can be tested experimentally in the future. We can take inspiration from how spiders control vibration transmission and apply these insights to bioinspired engineering. In particular, the role of morphological computation for vibration control could open up potential developments for soft robots, which could use multi-scale vibration sensory systems inspired by spiders to quickly and efficiently adapt to changing environments.
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16
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Mulder T, Mortimer B, Vollrath F. Functional flexibility in a spider's orb web. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb234070. [PMID: 33184053 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.234070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Web spiders rely on vibrations propagated via their web to identify, locate and capture entangled prey. Here, we experimentally tested the robustness of the orb weaver's predation strategy when webs are severely distorted and silk tensions are drastically altered throughout the web, a common occurrence in the wild. We assessed prey identification efficiency by comparing the spider's initial reaction times towards a fruit fly trapped in the web, we measured location efficiency by comparing times and number of tugging bouts performed, and we determined capture efficiency by comparing capture times. It emerged that spiders are capable of identifying, locating and capturing prey in distorted webs, albeit taking somewhat longer to do so.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Mulder
- University of Oxford, Department of Zoology, Zoology Research and Administration Building, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Beth Mortimer
- University of Oxford, Department of Zoology, Zoology Research and Administration Building, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Fritz Vollrath
- University of Oxford, Department of Zoology, Zoology Research and Administration Building, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
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17
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Su I, Jung GS, Narayanan N, Buehler MJ. Perspectives on three-dimensional printing of self-assembling materials and structures. CURRENT OPINION IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobme.2020.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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18
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Mortimer B, Soler A, Wilkins L, Vollrath F. Decoding the locational information in the orb web vibrations of Araneus diadematus and Zygiella x-notata. J R Soc Interface 2020; 16:20190201. [PMID: 31113332 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2019.0201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
A spider's web is a multifunctional structure that captures prey and provides an information platform that transmits vibrational information. Many physical factors interact to influence web vibration and information content, from vibration source properties and input location, to web physical properties and geometry. The aim of the study was to test whether orb web vibration contains information about the location of the source of vibration. We used finite-element analysis model webs to control and vary major physical factors, investigating webs where spiders use a direct or remote monitoring strategy. When monitoring with eight sensors (legs) at the web centre, a comparison of longitudinal and transverse wave amplitude between the sensors gave sufficient information to determine source direction and distance, respectively. These localization cues were robust to changes in source amplitude, input angle and location, with increased accuracy at lower source amplitudes. When remotely monitoring the web using a single thread connected to the web's hub (a signal thread), we found that locational information was not available when the angle of the source input was unknown. Furthermore, a free sector and a stiff hub were physical mechanisms to aid information transfer, which provides insights for bioinspired fibre networks for sensing technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Mortimer
- 1 Department of Zoology, University of Oxford , Oxford , UK.,2 School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol , Bristol , UK
| | - A Soler
- 3 Department of Continuum Mechanics and Structural Analysis, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid , Madrid , Spain
| | - L Wilkins
- 1 Department of Zoology, University of Oxford , Oxford , UK
| | - F Vollrath
- 1 Department of Zoology, University of Oxford , Oxford , UK
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19
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Campbell RA, Dean MN. Adaptation and Evolution of Biological Materials. Integr Comp Biol 2019; 59:1629-1635. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icz134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Research into biological materials often centers on the impressive material properties produced in Nature. In the process, however, this research often neglects the ecologies of the materials, the organismal contexts relating to how a biological material is actually used. In biology, materials are vital to organismal interactions with their environment and their physiology, and also provide records of their phylogenetic relationships and the selective pressures that drive biological novelties. With the papers in this symposium, we provide a view on cutting-edge work in biological materials science. The collected research delivers new perspectives on fundamental materials concepts, offering surprising insights into biological innovations and challenging the boundaries of materials’ characterization techniques. The topics, systems, and disciplines covered offer a glimpse into the wide range of contemporary biological materials work. They also demonstrate the need for progressive “whole organism thinking” when characterizing biological materials, and the importance of framing biological materials research in relevant, biological contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Campbell
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Mason N Dean
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Department Biomaterials, Am Muehlenberg 1, Potsdam, Germany
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20
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Mortimer B. A Spider’s Vibration Landscape: Adaptations to Promote Vibrational Information Transfer in Orb Webs. Integr Comp Biol 2019; 59:1636-1645. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icz043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Spider orb webs are used not only for catching prey, but also for transmitting vibrational information to the spider. Vibrational information propagates from biological sources, such as potential prey or mates, but also abiotic sources, such as wind. Like other animals, the spider must cope with physical constraints acting on the propagation of vibrational information along surfaces and through materials—including loss of energy, distortion, and filtering. The spider mitigates these physical constraints by making its orb web from up to five different types of silks, closely controlling silk use and properties during web building. In particular, control of web geometry, silk tension, and silk stiffness allows spiders to adjust how vibrations spread throughout the web, as well as their amplitude and speed of propagation, which directly influences energy loss, distortion, and filtering. Turning to how spiders use this information, spiders use lyriform organs distributed across their eight legs as vibration sensors. Spiders can adjust coupling to the silk fibers and use posture to modify vibrational information as it moves from the web to the sensors. Spiders do not sense all vibrations equally—they are least sensitive to low frequencies (<30 Hz) and most sensitive to high frequencies (ca. 1 kHz). This sensitivity pattern cannot be explained purely by the frequency range of biological inputs. The role of physical and evolutionary constraints is discussed to explain spider vibration sensitivity and a role of vibration sensors to detect objects on the web as a form of echolocation is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Mortimer
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK
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Simhadri JJ, Chandran PL. Capturing 3D large-strain Euler-bending filament dynamics in fibrous media simulations; sample case of compression collapse in dendritic actin network. Sci Rep 2019; 9:3990. [PMID: 30850656 PMCID: PMC6408500 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40430-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytoskeletal networks to transmission towers are comprised of slender elements. Slender filaments bend and buckle more easily than stretch. Therefore a deforming network is expected to exhaust all possible bending-based modes before engaging filament stretch. While the large-strain bending critically determines fibrous-media response, simulations use small-strain and jointed approximations. At low resolution, these approximations inflate bending resistance and delay buckling onset. The proposed string-of-continuous-beams (SOCB) approach captures 3D nonlinear Euler bending of filaments with high fidelity at low cost. Bending geometry (i.e. angles and its differentials) is solved as primary variables, to fit a 5th order polynomial of the contour angle. Displacement, solved simultaneously as length conservation, is predicted with C3 and C6 smoothness between and within segments, using only 2 nodes. In the chosen analysis frame, in-plane and out-plane moments can be decoupled for arbitrarily-curved segments. Complex crosslink force-transfers can be specified. Simulations show that when a daughter branch is appended, the buckling resistance of a filament changes from linear to nonlinear before reversible collapse. An actin outcrop with 8 generations of mother-daughter branching produced the linear, nonlinear, and collapse regimes observed in compression experiments. 'Collapse' was a redistribution of outcrop forces following the buckling of few strands.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Preethi L Chandran
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Howard University, Washington, DC, 2005, USA.
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Jyoti J, Kumar A, Lakhani P, Kumar N, Bhushan B. Structural properties and their influence on the prey retention in the spider web. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2019; 377:20180271. [PMID: 30967065 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2018.0271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Orb webs absorb the impact energy of prey and transmit vibratory information to the spider with minimal structural damage. The structural properties of the web and the arrangement of threads within the web affect transmission time during the prey impact. The objective of the present study is to determine damping, stiffness, and transmissibility of healthy and damaged spider webs. Experimental results show that stiffness and transmissibility diminish from the inner to outer spiral threads and gradient variation in the structural properties of spiral threads enhances signal transmission capability toward the centre regardless of the position of prey impact within the healthy web. Spiral threads exhibit excellent prey retention properties due to their stretching capability. Kinetic energy produced by prey is absorbed in the threads, which help the spider to analyse the prey retention properties and also determine the response time. The minor damage (up to 25%) does not alter the basic characteristics of the web due to self-adjustment of tension within the web. Damping, natural frequency, stiffness and transmissibility decrease with the increase in the percentage of damaged web. The present study addresses the structural sustainability of the spider web irrespective of minor damages and also provides guidance in designing the structures under impact. This article is part of the theme issue 'Bioinspired materials and surfaces for green science and technology'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeevan Jyoti
- 1 Mechanical Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar , Nangal Road, Rupnagar 140001, Punjab , India
| | - Amit Kumar
- 1 Mechanical Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar , Nangal Road, Rupnagar 140001, Punjab , India
| | - Piyush Lakhani
- 1 Mechanical Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar , Nangal Road, Rupnagar 140001, Punjab , India
| | - Navin Kumar
- 1 Mechanical Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar , Nangal Road, Rupnagar 140001, Punjab , India
| | - Bharat Bhushan
- 2 Nanoprobe Laboratory for Bio- and Nanotechnology and Biomimetics (NLB2), The Ohio State University , 201 W. 19th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210-1142 , USA
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Mortimer B, Soler A, Siviour CR, Vollrath F. Remote monitoring of vibrational information in spider webs. Naturwissenschaften 2018; 105:37. [PMID: 29789945 PMCID: PMC5978847 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-018-1561-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2018] [Revised: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Spiders are fascinating model species to study information-acquisition strategies, with the web acting as an extension of the animal’s body. Here, we compare the strategies of two orb-weaving spiders that acquire information through vibrations transmitted and filtered in the web. Whereas Araneus diadematus monitors web vibration directly on the web, Zygiella x-notata uses a signal thread to remotely monitor web vibration from a retreat, which gives added protection. We assess the implications of these two information-acquisition strategies on the quality of vibration information transfer, using laser Doppler vibrometry to measure vibrations of real webs and finite element analysis in computer models of webs. We observed that the signal thread imposed no biologically relevant time penalty for vibration propagation. However, loss of energy (attenuation) was a cost associated with remote monitoring via a signal thread. The findings have implications for the biological use of vibrations by spiders, including the mechanisms to locate and discriminate between vibration sources. We show that orb-weaver spiders are fascinating examples of organisms that modify their physical environment to shape their information-acquisition strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Mortimer
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. .,School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
| | - A Soler
- Department Continuum Mechanics and Structural Analysis, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - C R Siviour
- Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - F Vollrath
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Lacava M, Camargo A, Garcia LF, Benamú MA, Santana M, Fang J, Wang X, Blamires SJ. Web building and silk properties functionally covary among species of wolf spider. J Evol Biol 2018; 31:968-978. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Revised: 02/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mariángeles Lacava
- Centro Universitario de Rivera Universidad de la República Rivera Uruguay
- Centro Universitario Regional del Este (CURE) Universidad de la República Treinta y Tres Uruguay
| | - Arley Camargo
- Centro Universitario de Rivera Universidad de la República Rivera Uruguay
| | - Luis F. Garcia
- Centro Universitario Regional del Este (CURE) Universidad de la República Treinta y Tres Uruguay
- Laboratorio Ecología del Comportamiento (IIBCE) Montevideo Uruguay
| | - Marco A. Benamú
- Centro Universitario de Rivera Universidad de la República Rivera Uruguay
- Laboratorio Ecología del Comportamiento (IIBCE) Montevideo Uruguay
| | - Martin Santana
- Laboratorio Ecología del Comportamiento (IIBCE) Montevideo Uruguay
| | - Jian Fang
- Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM) Deakin University Geelong Vic. Australia
| | - Xungai Wang
- Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM) Deakin University Geelong Vic. Australia
| | - Sean J. Blamires
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences The University of New South Wales Sydney NSW Australia
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Otto AW, Elias DO, Hatton RL. Modeling Transverse Vibration in Spider Webs Using Frequency-Based Dynamic Substructuring. DYNAMICS OF COUPLED STRUCTURES, VOLUME 4 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-74654-8_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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