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Biomimetics
Special Issues
Biological and Bioinspired Smart Adaptive Structures
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Biological and Bioinspired Smart Adaptive Structures

A special issue of Biomimetics (ISSN 2313-7673). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomimetics of Materials and Structures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 February 2024) | Viewed by 18447

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Heike Beismann

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Westphalian Institute for Biomimetics, Westphalian University of Applied Sciences, Münsterstraße 265, 46397 Bocholt, Germany
Interests: form–structure–function relationship; biomimetics; biomechanics; plant ecology; functional ecology; functional morphology; biomimetic components; biomimetic development process
Prof. Dr. Tobias Seidl

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Westphalian Institute for Biomimetics, Westphalian University of Applied Sciences, Münsterstraße 265, 46397 Bocholt, Germany
Interests: neuroethology; neuromechanics; social insects; collective behaviour; arthropods; locomotion; navigation; biomechanics; functional morphology; biomimetics; bioinspired robotics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biological systems must be able to adapt to changing environmental characteristics. This happens not only through evolutionary processes at the population level, but also at the level of the individual and even down to single structures or elements. For example, a dry and dead pine cone still reacts to the moisture in the environment and opens or closes smartly according to the weather conditions. The fruits of the genus Banksia and Hakea open when they are dried out, as triggered by bush fires. Insect wings adapt to aerodynamic loads whereas their flight control adapts to structural changes in the wings, such as damage. Smart biological structures thus show a behaviour with which they can react autonomously to external stimuli. Bioinspired structures can exploit these effects and some examples of smart and self-adaptive components are already on the market, with the most notable example being Velcro.

This Special Issue will focus on structures that exhibit such smart behaviour. This refers to all interactions of dead or living structures that can adapt themselves to something in response to an external trigger. In other words, a system (form, structure, function, or behaviour) that adapts itself to the environment in order to improve the efficiency of the system.

We want to cover a broad field ranging from biology to bioinspired engineering solutions. This is mainly because the transfer of biological solutions into technology is only possible if the biological model is understood. Therefore, this Special Issue will also be open to papers that make a technical solution seem possible, but first want to deal with an analysis of the biological model.

Prof. Dr. Heike Beismann
Prof. Dr. Tobias Seidl
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomimetics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bioinspiration
  • biomimetics
  • bionics
  • biology
  • form–structure–function relationship
  • smart material
  • smart structure
  • smart adaptive structures
  • self-adaptivity

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 7361 KiB  
Article
Bio-Inspired Textiles for Self-Driven Oil–Water Separation—A Simulative Analysis of Fluid Transport
by Leonie Beek, Jan-Eric Skirde, Musa Akdere and Thomas Gries
Biomimetics 2024, 9(5), 261; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9050261 - 25 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1284
Abstract
In addition to water repellency, superhydrophobic leaves of plants such as Salvinia molesta adsorb oil and separate it from water surfaces. This phenomenon has been the inspiration for a new method of oil–water separation, the bionic oil adsorber (BOA). In this paper, we [...] Read more.
In addition to water repellency, superhydrophobic leaves of plants such as Salvinia molesta adsorb oil and separate it from water surfaces. This phenomenon has been the inspiration for a new method of oil–water separation, the bionic oil adsorber (BOA). In this paper, we show how the biological effect can be abstracted and transferred to technical textiles, in this case knitted spacer textiles hydrophobized with a layered silicate, oriented at the biology push approach. Subsequently, the transport of the oil within the bio-inspired textile is analyzed by a three-dimensional fluid simulation. This fluid simulation shows that the textile can be optimized by reducing the pile yarn length, increasing the pile yarn spacing, and increasing the pile yarn diameter. For the first time, it has been possible with this simulation to optimize the bio-inspired textile with regard to oil transport with little effort and thus enable the successful implementation of a self-driven and sustainable oil removal method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological and Bioinspired Smart Adaptive Structures)
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22 pages, 12360 KiB  
Article
Diatom-Inspired Structural Adaptation According to Mode Shapes: A Study on 3D Structures and Software Tools
by Simone Andresen and Ahmad Burhani Ahmad Basri
Biomimetics 2024, 9(4), 241; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9040241 - 18 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1427
Abstract
Diatoms captivate both biologists and engineers with their remarkable mechanical properties and lightweight design principles inherent in their shells. Recent studies have indicated that diatom frustules possess optimized shapes that align with vibrational modes, suggesting an inherent adaptation to vibratory loads. The mode [...] Read more.
Diatoms captivate both biologists and engineers with their remarkable mechanical properties and lightweight design principles inherent in their shells. Recent studies have indicated that diatom frustules possess optimized shapes that align with vibrational modes, suggesting an inherent adaptation to vibratory loads. The mode shape adaptation method is known to significantly alter eigenfrequencies of 1D and 2D structures to prevent undesired vibration amplitudes. Leveraging this insight, the diatom-inspired approach to deform structures according to mode shapes was extended to different complex 3D structures, demonstrating a significant enhancement in eigenfrequencies with distinct mode shapes. Through extensive parameter studies, frequency increases exceeding 200% were obtained, showcasing the method’s effectiveness. In the second study part, the studied method was integrated into a user-friendly, low-code software facilitating swift and automated structural adjustments for eigenfrequency optimization. The created software tools, encompassing various components, were successfully tested on the example structures demonstrating the versatility and practicality of implementing biomimetic strategies in engineering designs. Thus, the present investigation does not only highlight the noteworthiness of the structural adaptation method inspired by diatoms in maximizing eigenfrequencies, but also originate software tools permitting different users to easily apply the method to distinct structures that have to be optimized, e.g., lightweight structures in the mobility or aerospace industry that are susceptible toward vibrations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological and Bioinspired Smart Adaptive Structures)
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22 pages, 2901 KiB  
Article
Assessment of the Suitability of Selected Linear Actuators for the Implementation of the Load-Adaptive Biological Principle of Redundant Motion Generation
by Marcel Bartz, Michael Jüttner, Fabian Halmos, Elias Uhlich, Max Klein, Patricia Drumm, Erkan Dreßler, Sina Martin, Jonas Walter, Jörg Franke and Sandro Wartzack
Biomimetics 2024, 9(4), 236; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9040236 - 16 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1735
Abstract
The load-adaptive behavior of the muscles in the human musculoskeletal system offers great potential for minimizing resource and energy requirements in many technical systems, especially in drive technology and robotics. However, the lack of knowledge about suitable technical linear actuators that can reproduce [...] Read more.
The load-adaptive behavior of the muscles in the human musculoskeletal system offers great potential for minimizing resource and energy requirements in many technical systems, especially in drive technology and robotics. However, the lack of knowledge about suitable technical linear actuators that can reproduce the load-adaptive behavior of biological muscles in technology is a major reason for the lack of successful implementation of this biological principle. In this paper, therefore, the different types of linear actuators are investigated. The focus is particularly on artificial muscles and rope pulls. The study is based on literature, on the one hand, and on two physical demonstrators in the form of articulated robots, on the other hand. The studies show that ropes are currently the best way to imitate the load-adaptive behavior of the biological model in technology. This is especially illustrated in the context of this paper by the discussion of different advantages and disadvantages of the technical linear actuators, where ropes, among other things, have a good mechanical and control behavior, which is very advantageous for use in an adaptive system. Finally, the next steps for future research are outlined to conclude how ropes can be used as linear actuators to transfer load-adaptive lightweight design into technical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological and Bioinspired Smart Adaptive Structures)
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14 pages, 6833 KiB  
Article
Reducing Automotive Cooling System Complexity through an Adaptive Biomimetic Air Control Valve
by Thomas Thuilot, Moses-Gereon Wullweber, Matthias Fischer, Michael Bennemann and Tobias Seidl
Biomimetics 2024, 9(4), 207; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9040207 - 29 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1279
Abstract
Future automotive mobility is predominantly electric. Compared to existing systems, the requirements of subsystems change. Air flow for cooling components is needed predominantly when the car is in rest (i.e., charging) or at slow speeds. So far, actively driven fans consuming power and [...] Read more.
Future automotive mobility is predominantly electric. Compared to existing systems, the requirements of subsystems change. Air flow for cooling components is needed predominantly when the car is in rest (i.e., charging) or at slow speeds. So far, actively driven fans consuming power and generating noise are used in this case. Here we propose a passive adaptive system allowing for convection-driven cooling. The developed system is a highly adaptive flat valve derived from the bordered pit. It was developed through an iterative design process including simulations, both structural and thermodynamic. In hardwoods and conifers, bordered pits enable the challenging transport of vertical fluids by locally limiting damage. Depending on the structure, these can close at sudden pressure changes and take the function of valves. The result of the biomimetic abstraction process is a system-integrative, low-profile valve that is cheap to produce, long-lasting, lightweight, maintenance-free, and noise-free. It allows for the passive switching of air flow generation at the heat exchanger of the cooling between natural convection or an active airstream without the need for complex sensing and control systems. The geometric and material design factors allow for the simple tuning of the valve to the desired switching conditions during the design process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological and Bioinspired Smart Adaptive Structures)
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22 pages, 8743 KiB  
Article
Chorda Dorsalis System as a Paragon for Soft Medical Robots to Design Echocardiography Probes with a New SOM-Based Steering Control
by Mostafa Sayahkarajy, Hartmut Witte and Ahmad Athif Mohd Faudzi
Biomimetics 2024, 9(4), 199; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9040199 - 27 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1291
Abstract
Continuum robots play the role of end effectors in various surgical robots and endoscopic devices. While soft continuum robots (SCRs) have proven advantages such as safety and compliance, more research and development are required to enhance their capability for specific medical scenarios. This [...] Read more.
Continuum robots play the role of end effectors in various surgical robots and endoscopic devices. While soft continuum robots (SCRs) have proven advantages such as safety and compliance, more research and development are required to enhance their capability for specific medical scenarios. This research aims at designing a soft robot, considering the concepts of geometric and kinematic similarities. The chosen application is a semi-invasive medical application known as transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). The feasibility of fabrication of a soft endoscopic device derived from the Chorda dorsalis paragon was shown empirically by producing a three-segment pneumatic SCR. The main novelties include bioinspired design, modeling, and a navigation control strategy presented as a novel algorithm to maintain a kinematic similarity between the soft robot and the rigid counterpart. The kinematic model was derived based on the method of transformation matrices, and an algorithm based on a self-organizing map (SOM) network was developed and applied to realize kinematic similarity. The simulation results indicate that the control method forces the soft robot tip to follow the path of the rigid probe within the prescribed distance error (5 mm). The solution provides a soft robot that can surrogate and succeed the traditional rigid counterpart owing to size, workspace, and kinematics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological and Bioinspired Smart Adaptive Structures)
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15 pages, 3321 KiB  
Article
Stereo Camera Setup for 360° Digital Image Correlation to Reveal Smart Structures of Hakea Fruits
by Matthias Fischer, Max D. Mylo, Leon S. Lorenz, Lars Böckenholt and Heike Beismann
Biomimetics 2024, 9(3), 191; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9030191 - 21 Mar 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4212
Abstract
About forty years after its first application, digital image correlation (DIC) has become an established method for measuring surface displacements and deformations of objects under stress. To date, DIC has been used in a variety of in vitro and in vivo studies to [...] Read more.
About forty years after its first application, digital image correlation (DIC) has become an established method for measuring surface displacements and deformations of objects under stress. To date, DIC has been used in a variety of in vitro and in vivo studies to biomechanically characterise biological samples in order to reveal biomimetic principles. However, when surfaces of samples strongly deform or twist, they cannot be thoroughly traced. To overcome this challenge, different DIC setups have been developed to provide additional sensor perspectives and, thus, capture larger parts of an object’s surface. Herein, we discuss current solutions for this multi-perspective DIC, and we present our own approach to a 360° DIC system based on a single stereo-camera setup. Using this setup, we are able to characterise the desiccation-driven opening mechanism of two woody Hakea fruits over their entire surfaces. Both the breaking mechanism and the actuation of the two valves in predominantly dead plant material are models for smart materials. Based on these results, an evaluation of the setup for 360° DIC regarding its use in deducing biomimetic principles is given. Furthermore, we propose a way to improve and apply the method for future measurements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological and Bioinspired Smart Adaptive Structures)
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15 pages, 5606 KiB  
Article
Extension of the Voronoi Diagram Algorithm to Orthotropic Space for Material Structural Design
by Pavel Bolshakov, Nikita Kharin, Alexander Agathonov, Evgeniy Kalinin and Oskar Sachenkov
Biomimetics 2024, 9(3), 185; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9030185 - 19 Mar 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1515
Abstract
Nowadays, the interaction of additive technologies and methods for designing or optimizing porous structures has yielded good results. Construction with complex microarchitectures can be created using this approach. Varying the microarchitecture leads to changes in weight and mechanical properties. However, there are problems [...] Read more.
Nowadays, the interaction of additive technologies and methods for designing or optimizing porous structures has yielded good results. Construction with complex microarchitectures can be created using this approach. Varying the microarchitecture leads to changes in weight and mechanical properties. However, there are problems with geometry reconstruction when dealing with complex microarchitecture. One approach is to use Voronoi cells for geometry reconstruction. In this article, an extension of the Voronoi diagram algorithm to orthotropic space for material structural design is presented. The inputs for the method include porosity, ellipticity, and ellipticity direction fields. As an example, a beam with fixed end faces and center kinematic loading was used. To estimate robust results for different numbers of clusters, 50, 75, and 100 clusters are presented. The porosity for smoothed structures ranged from 21.5% up to 22.8%. The stress–strain state was determined for the resulting structures. The stiffness for the initial and smoothed structures was the same. However, in the case of 75 and 100 clusters, local stress factors appeared in the smoothed structure. The maximum von Mises stress decreased by 20% for all smoothed structures in the area of kinematic loading and increased by 20% for all smoothed structures in the area of end faces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological and Bioinspired Smart Adaptive Structures)
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15 pages, 5261 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Structure and Function of Ladybird Leg and Subsequent Design and Fabrication of a Simplified Leg Structure for Robotic Applications
by Christopher Mercer and Naoe Hosoda
Biomimetics 2024, 9(3), 184; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9030184 - 18 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1527
Abstract
Many insects are able to walk vertically or upside down on both hard and soft surfaces. In beetles such as the ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata), intermolecular forces between tarsal setae on the footpads of the insects make this movement possible. In prior [...] Read more.
Many insects are able to walk vertically or upside down on both hard and soft surfaces. In beetles such as the ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata), intermolecular forces between tarsal setae on the footpads of the insects make this movement possible. In prior work, adhesion structures made from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) that mimic the action of the tarsal setae have been developed. It is proposed that these adhesion structures could be attached to a simplified version of the leg of a ladybird and used in practical applications. For example, the leg structures could potentially be employed in small surveillance drones to enable attachment to surfaces during flights, in order to preserve battery power. Alternatively, the structures could be used in small robotic devices to enable walking on steeply inclined surfaces. In this program of work, the morphology and movement of the leg of a ladybird were closely studied using a 3D X-ray microscope and a high-speed microscope. The positions of the tendons that facilitated movement were identified. From this knowledge, a simplified leg structure using pin-joints was designed and then fabricated using 3-D printing. The PDMS adhesion structures were then attached to the leg structure. The tendons in the actual insect leg were replicated using thread. Typical detachment forces of about 4 N indicated that the simplified leg structure was, in principle, more than capable of supporting the weight of a small device and then detach successfully. Attachment/detachment movement operations were performed using a linear actuator and controlled remotely. Therefore, proof of concept has been demonstrated for the use of such a simplified ladybird leg structure for the attachment/detachment of small robotic devices to horizontal, inclined, or vertical surfaces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological and Bioinspired Smart Adaptive Structures)
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21 pages, 18032 KiB  
Article
Natural Frequencies of Diatom Shells: Alteration of Eigenfrequencies Using Structural Patterns Inspired by Diatoms
by Simone Andresen, Selina K. Linnemann, Ahmad Burhani Ahmad Basri, Oleksandr Savysko and Christian Hamm
Biomimetics 2024, 9(2), 85; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9020085 - 31 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1742
Abstract
Diatoms have delicate and complex shells showing different lightweight design principles that have already been applied to technical products improving the mechanical properties. In addition, diatom inspired structures are expected to significantly affect the vibration characteristics, i.e., the eigenfrequencies. Directed eigenfrequency shifts are [...] Read more.
Diatoms have delicate and complex shells showing different lightweight design principles that have already been applied to technical products improving the mechanical properties. In addition, diatom inspired structures are expected to significantly affect the vibration characteristics, i.e., the eigenfrequencies. Directed eigenfrequency shifts are of great interest for many technical applications to prevent undesired high vibration amplitudes. Therefore, numerous complex diatom inspired dome structures primarily based on combs, ribs, and bulging patterns were constructed and their eigenfrequencies were numerically studied. Different structural patterns were identified to significantly affect eigenfrequencies. The results were compared to dome structures equipped with rib patterns in combination with a common structural optimization tool. The study indicates that a combination of (1) selecting diatom inspired structural patterns that strongly affect eigenfrequencies, and (2) adapting them to the boundary conditions of the technical problem is an efficient method to design diatom inspired lightweight solutions with high eigenfrequencies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological and Bioinspired Smart Adaptive Structures)
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22 pages, 20085 KiB  
Article
Stress-Adaptive Stiffening Structures Inspired by Diatoms: A Parametric Solution for Lightweight Surfaces
by Selina K. Linnemann, Lars Friedrichs and Nils M. Niebuhr
Biomimetics 2024, 9(1), 46; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9010046 - 12 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1467
Abstract
The intricate and highly complex morphologies of diatom frustules have long captured the attention of biomimetic researchers, initiating innovation in engineering solutions. This study investigates the potential of diatom-inspired surface stiffeners to determine whether the introduced innovative strategy is a viable alternative for [...] Read more.
The intricate and highly complex morphologies of diatom frustules have long captured the attention of biomimetic researchers, initiating innovation in engineering solutions. This study investigates the potential of diatom-inspired surface stiffeners to determine whether the introduced innovative strategy is a viable alternative for addressing engineering challenges demanding enhanced stiffness. This interdisciplinary study focuses on the computer-aided generation of stress-adaptive lightweight structures aimed at optimizing bending stiffness. Through a comprehensive microscopical analysis, morphological characteristics of diatom frustules were identified and abstracted to be applied to a reference model using computer-aided methods and simulated to analyze their mechanical behavior under load-bearing conditions. Afterwards, the models are compared against a conventional engineering approach. The most promising biomimetic approach is successfully automated, extending its applicability to non-planar surfaces and diverse boundary conditions. It yields notable improvement in bending stiffness, which manifests in a decrease of displacement by approximately 93% in comparison to the reference model with an equivalent total mass. Nonetheless, for the specific load case considered, the engineering approach yields the least displacement. Although certain applications may favor conventional methods, the presented approach holds promise for scenarios subjected to varying stresses, necessitating lightweight and robust solutions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological and Bioinspired Smart Adaptive Structures)
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