Abstract
This paper presents a study on form-finding of four-stage class one self-equilibrated spine biotensegrity models. Advantageous features such as slenderness and natural curvature of the human spine, as well as the stabilizing network that consists of the spinal column and muscles, were modeled and incorporated in the mathematical formulation of the spine biotensegrity models. Form-finding analysis, which involved determination of independent self-equilibrium stress modes using generalized inverse and their linear combination, was carried out. Form-finding strategy for searching the self-equilibrated models was studied through two approaches: application of various combinations of (1) twist angles and (2) nodal coordinates. A total of three configurations of the spine biotensegrity models with different sizes of triangular cell were successfully established for the first time in this study. All members in the spine biotensegrity models satisfied the assumption of linear elastic material behavior. With the established spine biotensegrity model, the advantageous characteristics of flexibility and versatility of movement can be further studied for potential application in deployable structures and flexible arm in the robotic industry.
Highlights
The principle of biotensegrity was introduced by Levin [1] and Ingber, et al [2] in the 1980s, as an idea of applying the concept of tensegrity to represent the interaction of forces in all hierarchical biological systems
Self-equilibrated state of spine biotensegrity models cannot be found by approach one
This paper presents a trial-and-error iterative process for form-finding of three variations of biotensegrity models inspired by the form of human spine
Summary
The principle of biotensegrity was introduced by Levin [1] and Ingber, et al [2] in the 1980s, as an idea of applying the concept of tensegrity to represent the interaction of forces in all hierarchical biological systems. Biotensegrity has been found to demonstrate inherent mechanistic properties that are in good agreement with experimental data of in vivo [3,4]. It possesses the following four excellent characteristics: efficiency (i.e., geodesic form), self-stabilizing, multi-modularity and multi-functional (i.e., mechanotransduction). The overwhelming body of evidence clearly indicates the applicability of the principle of biotensegrity in anatomy and physiology from macro- to nano-scale biology systems [5,6].
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