Selected papers from the 7th International Conference on Biomimetics, Artificial Muscles and Nano-bio (BAMN2013)

Abstract

The 7th International Congress on Biomimetics, Artificial Muscles and Nano-Bio was held on the magnificent and beautiful Jeju Island in Korea on 26–30 August 2013. In June 2007, the volcanic island and lava tube cave systems were designated as UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites for their natural beauty and unique geographical values. The aim of the congress was to offer high-level lectures, extensive discussions and communications covering the state-of-the-art on biomimetics, artificial muscles, and nano-bio technologies providing an overview of their potential applications in the industrial, biomedical, scientific and robotic fields. This conference provided a necessary platform for an ongoing dialogue between researchers from different areas (chemistry, physics, biology, medicine, engineering, robotics, etc) within biomimetics, artificial muscle and nano-bio technologies. This special issue of Smart Materials and Structures is devoted to a selected number of research papers that were presented at BAMN2013. Of the 400 or so papers and over 220 posters presented at this international congress, 15 papers were finally received, reviewed and accepted for this special issue, following the regular peer review procedures of the journal.The special issue covers polymeric artificial muscles, electroactive polymers, multifunctional nanocomposites, and their applications. In particular, electromechanical performance and other characteristics of ionic polymer–metal composites (IPMCs) fabricated with various commercially available ion exchange membranes are discussed. Additionally, the control of free-edge interlaminar stresses in composite laminates using piezoelectric actuators is elaborated on. Further, the electrode effects of a cellulose-based electroactive paper energy harvester are described. Next, a flexible tactile-feedback touch screen using transparent ferroelectric polymer film vibrators is discussed. A broad coverage of bio-applications of IPMC transducers is then presented followed by a discussion on a novel electroactive PVA-TOCN actuator extremely sensitive to low electrical inputs. Additionally, an experimental self-sensing technique for an IPMC actuator is described. This area was also covered in previous BAMN congresses in the context of electromechanical models for self-sensing IPMC actuating devices with patterned surface electrodes, where actuator and sensor elements are separated by a grounded shielding electrode. Eventually, an electromechanical model of the device has also been proposed and validated. Following that, broad coverage of the modeling of an IPMC actuator based on an extended Kalman filter trained by a neural network is presented. The realization of variable recruitment fluidic artificial muscles is next covered in the special issue followed by a discussion on soft and flexible PEDOT/PSS films for applications to soft actuators. Furthermore, coverage is presented on biomimetic FAA-certifiable, artificial muscle structures for commercial aircraft wings. Additional papers in this special issue cover technologies enhancing the thermal reliability of fiber-optic sensors for bio-inspired applications at ultra-high temperatures, a study on a saddle-shaped bi-stable morphing panel with SMA spring actuators, energy harvesting from a vortex ring on an annular IPMC and finally the development of a morphing flap using SMA actuators followed by an aerodynamic characterization of a morphing flap.We hope that this collection of articles will help to stimulate future work in this emerging field of research and generate new applications in biomimetics, artificial muscles and nano-bio science and technology.AcknowledgmentsWe would like to thank all the authors for their contributions, and the Smart Materials and Structures Editor-in-Chief, Professor Ephrahim Garcia, for having accepted our proposal to organize this special issue. In particular, we are extremely grateful to the IOP Publishing team for their great support, with special thanks to Natasha Leeper and Bethan Davies for their excellent management in the preparation of this special issue. We are also indebted to all of the reviewers, and the editors and editorial staff who handled the reviews of all the papers.