Electrolyte Regulation of Bio-Inspired Zincophilic Additive toward High-Performance Dendrite-Free Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries hold attractive potential for large-scale energy storage devices owing to their prominent electrochemical performance and high security. Nevertheless, the applications of aqueous electrolytes have generated various challenges, including uncontrolled dendrite growth and parasitic reactions, thereby deteriorating the Zn anode's stability. Herein, inspired by the superior affinity between Zn²⁺ and amino acid chains in the zinc finger protein, a cost-effective and green glycine additive is incorporated into aqueous electrolytes to stabilize the Zn anode. As confirmed by experimental characterizations and theoretical calculations, the glycine additives can not only reorganize the solvation sheaths of hydrated Zn²⁺ via partial substitution of coordinated H₂ O but also preferentially adsorb onto the Zn anode, thereby significantly restraining dendrite growth and interfacial side reactions. Accordingly, the Zn anode could realize a long lifespan of over 2000 h and enhanced reversibility (98.8%) in the glycine-containing electrolyte. Furthermore, the assembled Zn||α-MnO₂ full cells with glycine-modified electrolyte also delivers substantial capacity retention (82.3% after 1000 cycles at 2 A g^-1 ), showing promising application prospects. This innovative bio-inspired design concept would inject new vitality into the development of aqueous electrolytes.

Mechanical design of the highly porous cuttlebone: A bioceramic hard buoyancy tank for cuttlefish

Cuttlefish, a unique group of marine mollusks, produces an internal biomineralized shell, known as cuttlebone, which is an ultra-lightweight cellular structure (porosity, ∼93 vol%) used as the animal's hard buoyancy tank. Although cuttlebone is primarily composed of a brittle mineral, aragonite, the structure is highly damage tolerant and can withstand water pressure of about 20 atmospheres (atm) for the species Sepia officinalis Currently, our knowledge on the structural origins for cuttlebone's remarkable mechanical performance is limited. Combining quantitative three-dimensional (3D) structural characterization, four-dimensional (4D) mechanical analysis, digital image correlation, and parametric simulations, here we reveal that the characteristic chambered "wall-septa" microstructure of cuttlebone, drastically distinct from other natural or engineering cellular solids, allows for simultaneous high specific stiffness (8.4 MN⋅m/kg) and energy absorption (4.4 kJ/kg) upon loading. We demonstrate that the vertical walls in the chambered cuttlebone microstructure have evolved an optimal waviness gradient, which leads to compression-dominant deformation and asymmetric wall fracture, accomplishing both high stiffness and high energy absorption. Moreover, the distribution of walls is found to reduce stress concentrations within the horizontal septa, facilitating a larger chamber crushing stress and a more significant densification. The design strategies revealed here can provide important lessons for the development of low-density, stiff, and damage-tolerant cellular ceramics.

3D Printing On-Water Sports Boards with Bio-Inspired Core Designs

Modeling and analyzing the sports equipment for injury prevention, reduction in cost, and performance enhancement have gained considerable attention in the sports engineering community. In this regard, the structure study of on-water sports board (surfboard, kiteboard, and skimboard) is vital due to its close relation with environmental and human health as well as performance and safety of the board. The aim of this paper is to advance the on-water sports board through various bio-inspired core structure designs such as honeycomb, spiderweb, pinecone, and carbon atom configuration fabricated by three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. Fused deposition modeling was employed to fabricate complex structures from polylactic acid (PLA) materials. A 3D-printed sample board with a uniform honeycomb structure was designed, 3D printed, and tested under three-point bending conditions. A geometrically linear analytical method was developed for the honeycomb core structure using the energy method and considering the equivalent section for honeycombs. A geometrically non-linear finite element method based on the ABAQUS software was also employed to simulate the boards with various core designs. Experiments were conducted to verify the analytical and numerical results. After validation, various patterns were simulated, and it was found that bio-inspired functionally graded honeycomb structure had the best bending performance. Due to the absence of similar designs and results in the literature, this paper is expected to advance the state of the art of on-water sports boards and provide designers with structures that could enhance the performance of sports equipment.

Bio-inspired Printed Monopole Antenna Applied to Partial Discharge Detection

A new, bio-inspired printed monopole antenna (PMA) model is applied to monitor partial discharge (PD) activity in high voltage insulating systems. An optimized sensor was obtained by designing a PMA in accordance with the characteristics of the electromagnetic signal produced by PD. An ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna was obtained by applying the truncated ground plane technique. The patch geometry was bio-inspired by that of the Inga Marginata leaf, resulting in a significant reduction in size. To verify the operating frequency and gain of the PMA, measurements were carried out in an anechoic chamber. The results show that the antenna operating bandwidth covers most of the frequency range of PD occurrence. Moreover, the antenna presented a good sensitivity (mean gain of 3.63 dBi). The antenna performance was evaluated through comparative results with the standard IEC 60270 method. For this purpose, simultaneous tests were carried out in a PD generator arrangement, composed by an oil cell with point-to-plane electrode configurations. The developed PMA can be classified as an optimized sensor for PD detection and suitable for substation application, since it is able to measure PD radiated signals with half the voltage levels obtained from the IEC method and is immune to corona discharges.

Design and Application of a Metamaterial Superstrate on a Bio-Inspired Antenna for Partial Discharge Detection through Dielectric Windows

The adaptation of dielectric windows as metamaterial superstrate over a bio-inspired Printed Monopole Antenna (PMA) was evaluated in order to improve the detection sensitivity of Ultra High Frequency (UHF) sensors designed for Partial Discharge (PD) measurement. For this purpose, rectangular and circular Split Ring Resonators (SRR) structures were designed and evaluated aiming to achieve a metamaterial superstrate that improves the characteristics of the bio-inspired PMA as the gain, bandwidth, and radiation pattern. Measurements of the PMA with metamaterial superstrate were carried out in an anechoic chamber and compared to the simulations performed. The results show that the metamaterial superstrate insertion did not impact the original operating bandwidth, covering most of the characteristic frequency range of PD activity. Moreover, this insertion resulted in a mean gain enhancement of 0.7 dBi regarding the reference PMA, resulting in an antenna with better sensitivity for PD detection (mean gain of 3.61 dBi). The PMA-metamaterial set PD detection sensitivity was evaluated through laboratory tests with a point-to-plane PD generator setup and in field with measurements from a 230 kV current transformer. The developed PMA-metamaterial set was able to detect, successfully, the activity of PD for both tests, being classified as an optimized sensor for PD detection through dielectric windows.

Muscle-fiber array inspired, multiple-mode, pneumatic artificial muscles through planar design and one-step rolling fabrication

Advances in development of artificial muscles have enabled creation of soft robots with biological dexterity and self-adaption in unstructured environments; however, production of scalable artificial muscles with multiple-mode actuations remains elusive. Inspired by muscle-fiber arrays in muscular hydrostats, we present a class of versatile artificial muscles called MAIPAMs (muscle-fiber array inspired pneumatic artificial muscles), capable of multiple-mode actuations (such as parallel elongation-bending-spiraling actuations, 10 parallel bending actuations and cascaded elongation-bending-spiraling actuations). Our MAIPAMs consist of active 3D elastomer-balloon arrays reinforced by a passive elastomer membrane, achieved through a planar design and one-step rolling fabrication approach. We introduce prototypical designs for the MAIPAMs and demonstrate their muscle-mimic structures and versatility, as well as their scalable ability to integrate flexible but non-stretchable layers for contraction and twisting actuation modes and compliant electrodes for self-sensing. We further demonstrate that this class of artificial muscles shows potential for versatile robotic applications, such as carrying a camera for recording videos, gripping or manipulating objects, and climbing a pipe-line.

Design of a Bio-Inspired Anti-Erosion Structure for a Water Hydraulic Valve Core: An Experimental Study

Animals and plants have numerous active protections for adapting to the complex and severe living environments, providing endless inspiration for extending the service life of materials and machines. Conch, a marine animal living near the coast and chronically suffering from the erosion of sand in water, has adapted to the condition through its anti-erosion conch shell. Romanesco broccoli, a plant whose inflorescence is self-similar in character, has a natural fractal bud’s form. Coupling the convex domes on the conch shell and the fractal structure of Romanesco broccoli, a novel valve core structure of a water hydraulic valve was designed in this paper to improve the particle erosion resistance and valve core’s service life. Three models were built to compare the effect among the normal structure, bionic structure, and multi-source coupling bionic structures, and were coined using 3D printing technology. A 3D printed water hydraulic valve was manufactured to simulate the working condition of a valve core under sand erosion in water flow, and capture the experimental videos of the two-phase flow. Furthermore, based on the water hydraulic platform and one-camera-six-mirror 3D imaging subsystem, the experiment system was established and used to compare the performance of the three different valve cores. As a result, the results showed that the coupling bionic structure could effectively improve the anti-erosion property of the valve core and protect the sealing face on the valve core from wear. This paper presents a novel way of combining advantages from both animal (function bionic) and plant (shape bionic) in one component design.

Design of a 3D-printed hand prosthesis featuring articulated bio-inspired fingers

Various upper-limb prostheses have been designed for 3D printing but only a few of them are based on bio-inspired design principles and many anatomical details are not typically incorporated even though 3D printing offers advantages that facilitate the application of such design principles. We therefore aimed to apply a bio-inspired approach to the design and fabrication of articulated fingers for a new type of 3D printed hand prosthesis that is body-powered and complies with basic user requirements. We first studied the biological structure of human fingers and their movement control mechanisms in order to devise the transmission and actuation system. A number of working principles were established and various simplifications were made to fabricate the hand prosthesis using a fused deposition modelling (FDM) 3D printer with dual material extrusion. We then evaluated the mechanical performance of the prosthetic device by measuring its ability to exert pinch forces and the energy dissipated during each operational cycle. We fabricated our prototypes using three polymeric materials including PLA, TPU, and Nylon. The total weight of the prosthesis was 92 g with a total material cost of 12 US dollars. The energy dissipated during each cycle was 0.380 Nm with a pinch force of ≈16 N corresponding to an input force of 100 N. The hand is actuated by a conventional pulling cable used in BP prostheses. It is connected to a shoulder strap at one end and to the coupling of the whiffle tree mechanism at the other end. The whiffle tree mechanism distributes the force to the four tendons, which bend all fingers simultaneously when pulled. The design described in this manuscript demonstrates several bio-inspired design features and is capable of performing different grasping patterns due to the adaptive grasping provided by the articulated fingers. The pinch force obtained is superior to other fully 3D printed body-powered hand prostheses, but still below that of conventional body powered hand prostheses. We present a 3D printed bio-inspired prosthetic hand that is body-powered and includes all of the following characteristics: adaptive grasping, articulated fingers, and minimized post-printing assembly. Additionally, the low cost and low weight make this prosthetic hand a worthy option mainly in locations where state-of-the-art prosthetic workshops are absent.

The Comparative approach to bio-inspired design: integrating biodiversity and biologists into the design process

Biodiversity provides a massive library of ideas for bio-inspired design, but the sheer number of species to consider can be daunting. Current approaches for sifting through biodiversity to identify relevant biological models include searching for champion adapters that are particularly adept at solving a particular design challenge. While the champion adapter approach has benefits, it tends to focus on a narrow set of popular models while neglecting the majority of species. An alternative approach to bio-inspired design is the comparative method, which leverages biodiversity by drawing inspiration across a broad range of species. This approach uses methods in phylogenetics to map traits across evolutionary trees and compare trait variation to infer structure-function relationships. Although comparative methods have not been widely used in bio-inspired design, they have led to breakthroughs in studies on gecko-inspired adhesives and multifunctionality of butterfly wing scales. Here we outline how comparative methods can be used to complement existing approaches to bioinspired design, and we provide an example focused on bio-inspired lattices, including honeycomb and glass sponges. We demonstrate how comparative methods can lead to breakthroughs in bio-inspired applications as well as answer major questions in biology, which can strengthen collaborations with biologists and produce deeper insights into biological function.

A System-of-Systems Bio-Inspired Design Process: Conceptual Design and Physical Prototype of a Reconfigurable Robot Capable of Multi-Modal Locomotion

Modern engineering problems require solutions with multiple functionalities in order to meet their practical needs to handle a variety of applications in different scenarios. Conventional design paradigms for single design purpose may not be able to satisfy this requirement efficiently. This paper proposes a novel system-of-systems bio-inspired design method framed in a solution-driven bio-inspired design paradigm. The whole design process consists of eight steps, that is, (1) biological solutions identification, (2) biological solutions definition/champion biological solutions, (3) principle extraction from each champion biological solution, (4) merging of extracted principles, (5) solution reframing, (6) problem search, (7) problem definition, and (8) principles application & implementation. The steps are elaborated and a case study of reconfigurable robots is presented following these eight steps. The design originates from the multimodal locomotion capabilities of two species (i.e., spiders and primates) and is analyzed based on the Pugh analysis. The resulting robotic platform could be potentially used for urban patrolling purposes.

Organismal Design and Biomimetics: A Problem of Scale

Organisms and their features represent a complex system of solutions that can efficiently inspire the development of original and cutting-edge design applications: the related discipline is known as biomimetics. From the smallest to the largest, every species has developed and adapted different working principles based on their relative dimensional realm. In nature, size changes determine remarkable effects in organismal structures, functions, and evolutionary innovations. Similarly, size and scaling rules need to be considered in the biomimetic transfer of solutions to different dimensions, from nature to artefacts. The observation of principles that occur at very small scales, such as for nano- and microstructures, can often be seen and transferred to a macroscopic scale. However, this transfer is not always possible; numerous biological structures lose their functionality when applied to different scale dimensions. Hence, the evaluation of the effects and changes in scaling biological working principles to the final design dimension is crucial for the success of any biomimetic transfer process. This review intends to provide biologists and designers with an overview regarding scale-related principles in organismal design and their application to technical projects regarding mechanics, optics, electricity, and acoustics.

The Concurrent Control of Motion and Contact Force in the Presence of Predictable Disturbances

The simultaneous control of force and motion is important in everyday activities when humans interact with objects. While many studies have analyzed the control of movement within a perturbing force field, few have investigated its dual aspects of controlling a contact force in nonisometric conditions. The mechanism by which the central nervous system controls forces during movements is still unclear, and it can be elucidated by estimating the mechanical properties of the arm during tasks with concurrent motion and contact force goals. We investigate how arm mechanics change when a force control task is accomplished during low-frequency positional perturbations of the arm. Contrary to many force regulation algorithms implemented in robotics, where contact impedance is decreased to reduce force fluctuations in response to position disturbances, we observed a steady increase of arm endpoint stiffness as the task progressed. Based on this evidence, we propose a theoretical framework suggesting that an internal model of the perturbing trajectory is formed. We observed that force regulation in the presence of predictable positional disturbances is implemented using a position control strategy together with the modulation of the endpoint stiffness magnitude, where the direction of the endpoint stiffness ellipse's major axis is oriented toward the desired force.

Development of a Novel Wasp-Inspired Friction-Based Tissue Transportation Device

Currently existing tubular transportation systems for the extraction of large tissue masses during Minimal Invasive Surgery (MIS) are subjected to a large amount of operating limitations. In this study, a novel transportation mechanism (patented) was developed inspired by the egg-laying structure of wasps. The developed mechanism consists of an outer tube within which six reciprocating semi-cylindrical blades are present and tissue is transported using a friction differential between the blades. Two motion sequences were developed: (1) 1–5 motion sequence, in which one blade moves forward, while the remaining five blades move backward and (2) 2–4 motion sequence, in which four blades move backward while two blades move forward. A proof-of-principle experiment was performed to investigate the effects of tissue elasticity, tissue heterogeneity, and the motion sequence on the transportation rate [mg/s], transportation efficiency [%], and transportation reliability [%]. The mean transportation rate and reliability was highest for the 9 wt% gelatine phantoms at 4.21 ± 0.74 mg/s and the 1–5 sequence at 100%, respectively. The prototype has shown that the friction-based transportation principle has the potential of becoming a viable and reliable alternative to aspiration as a transportation method within MIS.

MotorSkins-a bio-inspired design approach towards an interactive soft-robotic exosuit

The work presents a bio-inspired design approach to a soft-robotic solution for assisting the knee-bending in users with reduced mobility in lower limbs. Exosuits and fluid-driven actuators are fabric-based devices that are gaining increasing relevance as alternatives assistive technologies that can provide simpler, more flexible solutions in comparison with the rigid exoskeletons. These devices, however, commonly require an external energy supply or a pressurized-fluid reservoir, which considerably constrain the autonomy of such solutions. In this work, we introduce an event-based energy cycle (EBEC) design concept, that can harvest, store, and release the required energy for assisting the knee-bending, in a synchronised interaction with the user and the environment, thus eliminating any need for external energy or control input. Ice-plant hydro-actuation system served as the source of inspiration to address the specific requirements of such interactive exosuit through a fluid-driven material system. Based on the EBEC design concepts and the abstracted bio-inspired principles, a series of (material and process driven) design experimentations helped to address the challenges of realising various functionalities of the harvest, storage, actuation and control instances within a closed hydraulic circuit. Sealing and defining various areas of water-tight seam made out of thermoplastic elastomers provided the base material system to program various chambers, channels, flow-check valves etc of such EBEC system. The resulting fluid-driven EBEC-skin served as a proof of concept for such active exosuit, that brings these functionalities into an integrated 'sense-acting' material system, realising an auto-synchronised energy and information cycles. The proposed design concept can serve as a model for development of similar fluid-driven EBEC soft-machines for further applications. On the more general scheme, the work presents an interdisciplinary design-science approach to bio-inspiration and showcases how biological material solutions can be looked at from a design/designer perspective to bridge the bottom-up and top-down approach to bio-inspiration.

Bio-Model Selection, Processing and Results for Bio-Inspired Truck Streamlining

We introduce a method for the selection and processing of a biological model to derive an outline that provides morphometric information for a novel aerodynamic truck design. Because of the dynamic similarities, our new truck design will be inspired by biological shapes with a known high level of streamlining and low drag for operation near the seabed, i.e., the head of a trout, but other model organisms will also be used later. Demersal fish are chosen because they live near the bottom of rivers or the sea. Complementary to many biomimetic studies so far, we plan to concentrate on reshaping the outline of the fish's head and extend it to a 3D design for the tractor that, at the same time, fits within EU regulations and maintains the truck's normal use and stability. We intend to explore this biological model selection and formulization involving the following elements: (i) the reason for selecting fish as a biological model for a streamlined truck design; (ii) The choice of a fish model via a functional similarity method; (iii) biological shape formulization based on the morphometric information of models in (ii) outline pick-up, a reshaping step and a subsequent design process; (iv) modify the biomimetic designs and test utilizing CFD; (v) further discussion, outputs and results from the bio-inspired design process.

Nature-Inspired Designs in Wind Energy: A Review

The field of wind energy stands at the forefront of sustainable and renewable energy solutions, playing a pivotal role in mitigating environmental concerns and addressing global energy demands. For many years, the convergence of nature-inspired solutions and wind energy has emerged as a promising avenue for advancing the efficiency and sustainability of wind energy systems. While several research endeavors have explored biomimetic principles in the context of wind turbine design and optimization, a comprehensive review encompassing this interdisciplinary field is notably absent. This review paper seeks to rectify this gap by cataloging and analyzing the multifaceted body of research that has harnessed biomimetic approaches within the realm of wind energy technology. By conducting an extensive survey of the existing literature, we consolidate and scrutinize the insights garnered from diverse biomimetic strategies into design and optimization in the wind energy domain.

Elucidating Collapse-Resistant Mechanisms of Pore Geometries in Fire Ant Nest Cavities

Porous materials and structures, such as subterranean fire ant nests, are abundant in nature. It is hypothesized that these structures likely have evolved biological adaptations that enhance their collapse resistance. This research aims to elucidate the collapse-resistant mechanisms of pore geometries in fire ant nests. Finite Element Models of ant nests in soil were generated using X-ray CT imaging of aluminum castings of ant nests. Representative volume elements of the ant nests, representing porous structures at various depths, were analyzed under confined compression. This work on investigating fire ant (sp. Solenopsis Invicta) nests found them to be hierarchical and graded at various depths that affect how they resist loads and collapse. The top portion acts as a protective shield by distributing damage and absorbing energy. In contrast, the lower chambers localize stress, contributing to damage tolerance. This research provides evidence to suggest that ant nests have developed properties that allow them to resist collapse. These findings could inform the design of lightweight and durable cellular structures in various engineering fields.

Filter feeding in devil rays is highly sensitive to morphology

Mobulid rays (manta and devil rays) use a highly specialized filtering apparatus to separate plankton food particles from seawater. Recent studies have indicated that captive vortices form within the microscale pores of the filter, which enhance filtration efficiency through a novel mechanism referred to as ricochet separation. The high throughput and clog resistance of this filtration process have led to the development of several bioinspired engineered filtration systems. However, it is still unclear how changes to the filter morphology influence the surrounding flow patterns and filtration efficiency. We address this question by examining the flow fields around and filtering properties of mobulid filters with systematically varied morphologies, using a combination of computational fluid dynamics and experiments on physical models. While the pore size is the principal determinant of filtration efficiency in a sieve filter, we found that the captive vortices in a mobulid filter grow or shrink to fill the pore, and changes in the pore size have modest effects. By contrast, the filtration efficiency appears to be highly sensitive to the orientation of the filter lobes (microscale plate-like structures). These results provide a foundation for interpreting the morphological differences between species and also for generating optimized bioinspired designs.

Functional bio-inspired hybrid fliers with separated ring and leading edge vortices

Recent advances in passive flying systems inspired by wind-dispersed seeds contribute to increasing interest in their use for remote sensing applications across large spatial domains in the Lagrangian frame of reference. These concepts create possibilities for developing and studying structures with performance characteristics and operating mechanisms that lie beyond those found in nature. Here, we demonstrate a hybrid flier system, fabricated through a process of controlled buckling, to yield unusual geometries optimized for flight. Specifically, these constructs simultaneously exploit distinct fluid phenomena, including separated vortex rings from features that resemble those of dandelion seeds and the leading-edge vortices derived from behaviors of maple seeds. Advanced experimental measurements and computational simulations of the aerodynamics and induced flow physics of these hybrid fliers establish a concise, scalable analytical framework for understanding their flight mechanisms. Demonstrations with functional payloads in various forms, including bioresorbable, colorimetric, gas-sensing, and light-emitting platforms, illustrate examples with diverse capabilities in sensing and tracking.

Bio-inspired design of hard-bodied mobile robots based on arthropod morphologies: a 10 year systematic review and bibliometric analysis

This research presents a 10-year systematic review based on bibliometric analysis of the bio-inspired design of hard-bodied mobile robot mechatronic systems considering the anatomy of arthropods. These are the most diverse group of animals whose flexible biomechanics and adaptable morphology, thus, it can inspire robot development. Papers were reviewed from two international databases (Scopus and Web of Science) and one platform (Aerospace Research Central), then they were classified according to: Year of publication (January 2013 to April 2023), arthropod group, published journal, conference proceedings, editorial publisher, research teams, robot classification according to the name of arthropod, limb's locomotion support, number of legs/arms, number of legs/body segments, limb's degrees of freedom, mechanical actuation type, modular system, and environment adaptation. During the screening, more than 33 000 works were analyzed. Finally, a total of 174 studies (90 journal-type, 84 conference-type) were selected for in-depth study: Insecta-hexapods (53.8%), Arachnida-octopods (20.7%), Crustacea-decapods (16.1%), and Myriapoda-centipedes and millipedes (9.2%). The study reveals that the most active editorials are the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., Springer, MDPI, and Elsevier, while the most influential researchers are located in the USA, China, Singapore, and Japan. Most works pertained to spiders, crabs, caterpillars, cockroaches, and centipedes. We conclude that 'arthrobotics' research, which merges arthropods and robotics, is constantly growing and includes a high number of relevant studies with findings that can inspire new methods to design biomechatronic systems.

Erratum: Novel bio-inspired soft actuators for upper-limb exoskeletons: design, fabrication and feasibility study

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2024.1451231.].

Development of a Vertical Submerging and Emerging Bat-Ray-Inspired Underwater Vehicle

In this article, the development of a bat-ray-inspired underwater vehicle is presented; although the propulsion of the vehicle is based on traditional thrusters, the shape of the ray's fins was used as a model to design the body of the vehicle; this architecture allows the independent control of the forward velocity and the full attitude of the vehicle using only two thrusters and two articulated fins. The compact design of the robot, along with the high dexterity of the architecture, allows the vehicle to submerge and emerge vertically as well as navigate horizontally. The mathematical model of the proposed vehicle, including dynamics and propulsion system, is presented and validated using numerical simulations. Finally, experimental tests are presented to demonstrate the capabilities of the proposed design.

An Experimental and Simulation Study of the Active Camber Morphing Concept on Airfoils Using Bio-Inspired Structures

Birds are capable of morphing their wings across different flight modes and speeds to improve their aerodynamic performance. In light of this, the study aims to investigate a more optimized solution compared to conventional structural wing designs. The design challenges faced by the aviation industry today require innovative techniques to improve flight efficiency and minimize environmental impact. This study focuses on the aeroelastic impact validation of wing trailing edge morphing, which undergoes significant structural changes to enhance performance as per mission requirements. The approach to design-concept, modeling, and construction described in this study is generalizable and requires lightweight and actively deformable structures. The objective of this work is to demonstrate the aerodynamic efficiency of an innovative structural design and trailing edge morphing concept compared to conventional wing-flap configurations. The analysis revealed that the maximum displacement at a 30-degree deflection is 47.45 mm, while the maximum stress is 21 MPa. Considering that the yield strength of ABS material is 41.14 MPa, this kerf morphing structure, with a safety factor of 2.5, can withstand both structural and aerodynamic loads. The analysis results of the flap and morph configurations showed a 27% efficiency improvement, which was confirmed through the convergence criteria in ANSYS CFX.

Comparing Analogy-Based Methods-Bio-Inspiration and Engineering-Domain Inspiration for Domain Selection and Novelty

This study aims to support designers in developing transformative solutions in the engineering discipline using the Design-by-Analogy ideation method. Design-by-Analogy involves drawing inspiration from the source domain and applying it to the target domain. Based on the conceptual distance between the two domains, analogies are classified as biological-(natural), cross-(distant-engineering), and within-(near-engineering) domain analogies. Real-world scenarios involve designers selecting analogies after seeking them across multiple domains. These selected analogies significantly influence the produced designs. However, the selection criteria of the analogy domain are unexplored in design research. We address this gap by investigating: (a) the influence of analogy domains on their selection frequency; and (b) the relationship between the frequency of selecting analogies from specific domains and the novelty of designs. The experiment involved twenty-six teams of novice product designers, who solved design problems aided by one analogical source from each domain. The results showed that biological analogies were frequently selected. While biological-domain analogies significantly increased the novelty of designs compared to the within-domain ones; no significant difference was found between the biological- and cross-domain analogies, suggesting that middle-domain analogies can be as effective as far-domain ones. The findings can support technological innovation by aiding the development of analogy search databases.

Design of a Flexible Wasp-Inspired Tissue Transport Mechanism

Tissue transport is a challenge during Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) with the current suction-based instruments as the increasing length and miniaturisation of the outer diameter requires a higher pressure. Inspired by the wasp ovipositor, a slender and bendable organ through which eggs can be transported, a flexible transport mechanism for tissue was developed that does not require a pressure gradient. The flexible shaft of the mechanism consists of ring magnets and cables that can translate in a similar manner as the valves in the wasp ovipositor. The designed transport mechanism was able to transport 10wt% gelatine tissue phantoms with the shaft in straight and curved positions and in vertical orientation against gravity. The transport rate can be increased by increasing the rotational velocity of the cam. A rotational velocity of 25 RPM resulted in a transport rate of 0.8 mm/s and increasing the rotation velocity of the cam to 80 RPM increased the transport rate to 2.3 mm/s though the stroke efficiency decreased by increasing the rotational velocity of the cam. The transport performance of the flexible transport mechanism is promising. This means of transportation could in the future be an alternative for tissue transport during MIS.