Bio-inspired Processes Research Articles

Toward Understanding Carboxylate Group Contributions to Mn Oxide Catalysts in the Oxygen-Evolution Reaction.

In contrast to the previous assumption that manganese (hydr)oxides, in the absence of other metal ions, exhibit high overpotentials for catalyzing the oxygen-evolution reaction (OER) under neutral conditions, this study uncovers a more nuanced behavior. We demonstrate that layered manganese oxides, when treated with carboxylate groups, exhibit OER activity at the Mn(III) to Mn(IV) oxidation peak following charge accumulation. Upon the addition of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), the Mn(III) to Mn(IV) transition occurs at a lower potential. While the current density remains modest, this activity is observed at an extraordinarily low overpotential of just 20 mV in a phosphate buffer solution. We present a detailed mechanistic proposal for OER in this low-overpotential regime, focusing on the Mn(III) to Mn(IV) transition and the surrounding OER environment. Oxygen measurements reveal that at an applied potential of 1.25 V, the turnover frequency (TOF) increases from 2.6 × 10-2 s-1 prior to PAA treatment to 4.7 × 10-2 s-1 post-treatment. However, the Tafel slope increases from 384.76 mV/decade before PAA treatment to 414.30 mV/decade after treatment. The observed reduction in overpotential is attributed to the complex interaction between the OER process and charge accumulation, mirroring key mechanisms in natural systems such as the OEC in photosystem II (PSII). This interplay likely facilitates the low overpotential observed in this system, highlighting the relevance of these bioinspired processes in designing efficient electrocatalysts for OER. These findings provide important insights for the development of highly efficient and robust electrocatalysts for water splitting, with significant implications for the future of energy conversion and storage technologies. By emulating the natural Mn redox processes observed in PSII, our work paves the way for the design of more effective catalysts that operate with minimal energy loss, advancing the potential for sustainable energy solutions.

Utilization of Magonia pubescens extracts in the synthesis of rhodium NPs on Fe3O4@MgO support: A novel catalyst for 4-nitrophenol hydrogenation

This study reports the development of three distinct nanoparticulate catalysts, each comprising a biosynthesized Fe3O4 nanoparticle magnetic core with an average diameter of 17 nm, showcasing superparamagnetic behavior. This magnetic core was further encased in a spherical magnesium oxide (MgO) layer through a bio-inspired strategy, leading to the Fe3O4@MgO support structure. Rhodium (Rh) nanoparticles, with diameters between 1.0 and 1.5 nm, were then fabricated to act as the main catalytic entities. These were subsequently affixed to the Fe3O4@MgO support, yielding Fe3O4@MgO-Rh, using three distinct methodologies. Remarkably, the bio-inspired processes employed for the creation of Fe3O4@MgO-Rh harnessed the infusion and extract from Magonia pubescens A St. Hil leaves, colloquially termed “Timbó”. These natural extracts played dual roles as reducing and stabilizing agents during the catalyst generation, leading to three variants: CI, CW, and CS. Comprehensive characterization of these catalysts was achieved using XPS, TEM, EDS, and VSM techniques. The ensuing evaluation involved the hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol, which served to assess the efficiency and resilience of the bio-inspired catalysts vis-à-vis conventionally-produced counterparts. Notably, under benign conditions of a molecular H2 atmosphere (an ecologically sound hydrogen atom source) and moderate temperatures (60 °C), conversion rates exceeding 97 % were consistently observed for the substrate within a time frame of 0 to 15 min. For a more granular comparison of efficiency among the rhodium-centric catalysts, Turnover Frequency (TOF) and Total Turnover Number (TTON) computations were undertaken. Herein, the CI catalyst, originating from infusion, displayed a TTON value of 1263.24, underscoring its preeminence in 4-NF hydrogenation reactions. This was closely trailed by the CS catalyst, which boasted a TTON of 873.63, synthesized with a commercial surfactant.

Hyper-accumulation of vanadium in animals: Two sponges compete with urochordates

Vanadium (V) concentrations in organisms are usually very low. To date, among animals, only some urochordate and annelid species contain very high levels of V in their tissues. A new case of hyper-accumulation of V in a distinct animal phylum (Porifera), namely, the two homoscleromorph sponge species Oscarella lobularis and O. tuberculata is reported. The measured concentrations (up to 30 g/kg dry weight) exceed those reported previously and are not found in all sponge classes. In both Oscarella species, V is mainly accumulated in the surface tissues, and in mesohylar cells, as V(IV), before being partly reduced to V(III) in the deeper tissues. Candidate genes from Bacteria and sponges have been identified as possibly being involved in the metabolism of V. This finding provides clues for the development of bioremediation strategies in marine ecosystems and/or bioinspired processes to recycle this critical metal.

The elephant in the room: The biomimetic principle in bio-robotics and embodied AI

In recent years, bio-inspired robots have shaped numerous domains of technical and scientific production. Bio-inspired robots can now be found in all areas of industry, medicine, architecture, and even culture. Despite the wealth of historiographic and philosophical studies published on this topic, a philosophical investigation of the mimetic principle used in bio-robotics is still missing. In this paper, I will ask a simple question: what is the role of biomimetic and bio-inspired processes in the different practices of bio-robotics?In the following pages, I will first make some conceptual order. I discuss the differences between several bio-inspired disciplines to clearly identify the biomimetic principle. Second, I introduce the discussion on the necessity of imitating nature in early twentieth-century bio-robotics. Third, I state the broader philosophical issue at stake in the debate on the biomimetic principle: the model-world relation, as discussed in the philosophical literature on models and idealization. In section 4, I address several emblematic case studies in which the imitation of nature, variously declined, is fundamental for producing knowledge, thus providing cursory taxonomy of the biomimetic principle. In the conclusion, I will come back to the elephant in the room and suggest how to tackle it further in a fruitful manner. As a broader result, my proposed taxonomy might be used by historians of science and technology as a starting point for historicizing the different practices of current bio-robotics as well as by philosophers to further problematize the various philosophical frameworks that have been accepted and developed in bio-robotics.

Contrast independent biologically inspired translational optic flow estimation

The visual systems of insects are relatively simple compared to humans. However, they enable navigation through complex environments where insects perform exceptional levels of obstacle avoidance. Biology uses two separable modes of optic flow to achieve this: rapid gaze fixation (rotational motion known as saccades); and the inter-saccadic translational motion. While the fundamental process of insect optic flow has been known since the 1950’s, so too has its dependence on contrast. The surrounding visual pathways used to overcome environmental dependencies are less well known. Previous work has shown promise for low-speed rotational motion estimation, but a gap remained in the estimation of translational motion, in particular the estimation of the time to impact. To consistently estimate the time to impact during inter-saccadic translatory motion, the fundamental limitation of contrast dependence must be overcome. By adapting an elaborated rotational velocity estimator from literature to work for translational motion, this paper proposes a novel algorithm for overcoming the contrast dependence of time to impact estimation using nonlinear spatio-temporal feedforward filtering. By applying bioinspired processes, approximately 15 points per decade of statistical discrimination were achieved when estimating the time to impact to a target across 360 background, distance, and velocity combinations: a 17-fold increase over the fundamental process. These results show the contrast dependence of time to impact estimation can be overcome in a biologically plausible manner. This, combined with previous results for low-speed rotational motion estimation, allows for contrast invariant computational models designed on the principles found in the biological visual system, paving the way for future visually guided systems.

Bio-inspired phylogenetics for designing product platforms and delayed differentiation utilizing hybrid additive/subtractive manufacturing

"Biologicalisation in Manufacturing" is used to integrate biological and bio-inspired processes, principles and resources into manufacturing to handle challenges such as product proliferation. This paper introduces a product variety management methodology utilizing bio-inspired phylogenetics for designing product platforms for the delayed product differentiation using hybrid additive/subtractive manufacturing technologies. The median joining phylogenetic network, an ancestral sequence recognition method used in biology, is applied. This method is used to design product platforms that resemble the common ancestors in nature and determine the process plans for the platform customization that resembles the adaption in nature. A new feature extraction procedure is introduced to extract the additive and subtractive features of a product family. Two case studies, guiding bushings and flanges product families, are used for demonstration. The developed methodology improves the responsiveness and product mix flexibility and decreases the storage costs.

The Applications of Nature-Inspired Algorithms in Logistic Domains: A Comprehensive and Systematic Review

The utilization of nature-inspired algorithms for logistic domains and its potential to manage uncertainty evolve solutions and conduct optimization leftovers to be an antecedent research domain. The present article has considered primary bio-inspired processes to solve the logistics problem systematically until Feb 2020. We have opted 36 articles to summarize and review. The significant algorithm has been ranked into five primary categories: ant colony optimization, particle swarm optimization, memetic algorithm, genetic algorithm, and artificial bee colony. It is evident from the outcomes that within the past 10 years, bio-inspired procedures have experienced fast progress. They have prosperously been applied for optimization and design of particularly intricate systems like logistics distribution systems. It can be deducted from the outcomes that the other algorithms in the logistics distribution’s optimization have to be enhanced, leading to the elevation of the effectiveness of logistics enterprises. Also, the policy assistance for the logistics organization has been empowered to boost the efficient and healthy progress of it. We can observe that the genetic algorithm and its hybrids have indicated the best efficiency until now. So, it is essential to investigate the logistics distribution route optimization by recent nature-inspired algorithms for optimizing the logistics and selecting a rational distribution scheme.

Navigating the Tower of Babel: The Epistemological Shift of Bioinspired Innovation.

The disparity between disciplinary approaches to bioinspired innovation has created a cultural divide that is stifling to the overall advancement of the approach for sustainable societies. This paper aims to advance the effectiveness of bioinspired innovation processes for positive benefits through interdisciplinary communication by exploring the epistemological assumptions in various fields that contribute to the discipline. We propose that there is a shift in epistemological assumptions within bioinspired innovation processes at the points where biological models derived from reductionist approaches are interpreted as socially-constructed design principles, which are then realized in practical settings wrought with complexity and multiplicity. This epistemological shift from one position to another frequently leaves practitioners with erroneous assumptions due to a naturalistic fallacy. Drawing on examples in biology, we provide three recommendations to improve the clarity of the dialogue amongst interdisciplinary teams. (1) The deliberate articulation of epistemological perspectives amongst team members. (2) The application of a gradient orientation towards sustainability instead of a dichotomous orientation. (3) Ongoing dialogue and further research to develop novel epistemological approaches towards the topic. Adopting these recommendations could further advance the effectiveness of bioinspired innovation processes to positively impact social and ecological systems.

High-resolution analyses of the mineralisation process at bio/inorganic interfaces

To gain insight into bio-inspired mineralisation processes that may be directed or influenced by the protein coat of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), microscopic studies are crucial. The authors elucidate key steps towards the understanding of the mineralisation mechanism by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy imaging of the organic/inorganic interfaces. Wild-type TMV and mutants with distinct surface properties are used to investigate the processes of nucleation and mineral formation based on ZnO and ZnS deposition. The development of suitable sample preparation methods is central in the study, as well as finding the optimal imaging conditions in combination with the use of a latest-generation high-end microscope. The mineralisation is to be analysed with respect to the underlying nucleation process: Correlation of structure findings with mechanical properties will pave the way to the goal of the design of materials with enhanced mechanical properties.

Evolutionary Fuzzy Integral-Based Gaze Control With Preference of Human Gaze

Research on developing human-like gaze control has been carried out to enhance human-robot interaction. From the viewpoint of a large consistency of human gaze, conventional research had focused on predicting where humans usually pay attention to. However, gaze control is a cognitive process that can even produce different scanpaths from the same visual information. In this paper, an evolutionary fuzzy integral-based gaze control algorithm with preference is proposed. It produces various scanpaths according to the preference of human gaze. The proposed gaze control algorithm evaluates each pixel point with fuzzy measures and fuzzy integral, and produces a scanpath through repeated selections considering memory and bio-inspired processes. The produced scanpath is transformed into a fixation map and compared with a scanpath obtained from a human subject by the earth mover’s distance. Based on the comparison, quantum-inspired evolutionary algorithm gradually develops preference of human gaze to produce a scanpath similar to the human scanpath. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated by comparing a human scanpath with a scanpath produced from the algorithm using the developed preference. The applicability of the proposed algorithm is also demonstrated by applying the developed preference to gaze control for learning from demonstration.

Piezoelectric Templates - New Views on Biomineralization and Biomimetics.

Biomineralization in general is based on electrostatic interactions and molecular recognition of organic and inorganic phases. These principles of biomineralization have also been utilized and transferred to bio-inspired synthesis of functional materials during the past decades. Proteins involved in both, biomineralization and bio-inspired processes, are often piezoelectric due to their dipolar character hinting to the impact of a template’s piezoelectricity on mineralization processes. However, the piezoelectric contribution on the mineralization process and especially the interaction of organic and inorganic phases is hardly considered so far. We herein report the successful use of the intrinsic piezoelectric properties of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) to synthesize piezoelectric ZnO. Such films show a two-fold increase of the piezoelectric coefficient up to 7.2 pm V−1 compared to films synthesized on non-piezoelectric templates. By utilizing the intrinsic piezoelectricity of a biotemplate, we thus established a novel synthesis pathway towards functional materials, which sheds light on the whole field of biomimetics. The obtained results are of even broader and general interest since they are providing a new, more comprehensive insight into the mechanisms involved into biomineralization in living nature.

Nature of Interaction between Semiconducting Nanostructures and Biomolecules: Chalcogenide QDs and BNNT with DNA Molecules

Interactions of DNA oligomers with two categories of semiconducting nanostructures—chalcogenide quantum dots (QDs) and boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs)—owing to their widespread presence in bio-inspired processes are investigated using the first-principles density functional theory and continuum solvent model. The chalcogenide QDs interact strongly at their metal centers featuring electrostatic interaction with DNA oligomers at oxygen or nitrogen site, while BNNTs form covalent bonds with DNA oligomers at multiple surface sites. It is found that the different bonding nature leads to distinctly different response to the aqueous environment; the presence of solvent drastically reduces the binding strength of nucleobases with the QDs due to the strong electrostatic screening. This is not the case with BNNTs for which the covalent bonding is barely affected by the solvent. This study thus clearly shows how a solvent medium influences chemical interactions providing guidance for technological applications of bi...

Reciprocal projections in hierarchically organized evolvable neural circuits affect EEG-like signals

Modular architecture is a hallmark of many brain circuits. In the cerebral cortex, in particular, it has been observed that reciprocal connections are often present between functionally interconnected areas that are hierarchically organized. We investigate the effect of reciprocal connections in a network of modules of simulated spiking neurons. The neural activity is recorded by means of virtual electrodes and EEG-like signals, called electrochipograms (EChG), analyzed by time- and frequency-domain methods. A major feature of our approach is the implementation of important bio-inspired processes that affect the connectivity within a neural module: synaptogenesis, cell death, spike-timing-dependent plasticity and synaptic pruning. These bio-inspired processes drive the build-up of auto-associative links within each module, which generate an areal activity, recorded by EChG, that reflect the changes in the corresponding functional connectivity within and between neuronal modules. We found that circuits with intra-layer reciprocal projections exhibited enhanced stimulus-locked response. We show evidence that all networks of modules are able to process and maintain patterns of activity associated with the stimulus after its offset. The presence of feedback and horizontal projections was necessary to evoke cross-layer coherence in bursts of -frequency at regular intervals. These findings bring new insights to the understanding of the relation between the functional organization of neural circuits and the electrophysiological signals generated by large cell assemblies.This article is part of a Special Issue entitled “Neural Coding”.

Policy-constrained bio-inspired processes for autonomic route management

Autonomic networking systems must be designed to achieve an appropriate balance between the operation of decentralized algorithms and processes that seek to maintain optimal or near-optimal behavior in terms of global stability, improved performance and adaptability, robustness and security, with the requirement for top-down control of the system by humans to ensure business goals are met. Taking a communications networking survivability case study, we show how the operation of decentralized algorithms, inspired by the operation of biological systems, can be controlled and constrained through the deployment of management policies authored by network administrators. We present survivability-related routing algorithms (inspired by chemotaxis, reaction-diffusion and quorum sensing biological processes) which work together to effectively reconfigure network resources when transient link failures occur and demonstrate how these algorithms can be re-parameterized via policies to improve performance given prevailing network conditions. Simulation results show how the combined operation of these algorithms, as controlled by policies, allows the network to react well to survive link failure events.

Enantioselective Organocatalytic Transfer Hydrogenation Reactions using Hantzsch Esters

Within the realm of catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation, the focus continues to be on the use of chiral metal complexes in conjunction with a hydrogen source. Recently, the widespread development of organocatalysis, including the invention of iminium activation, has led to the discovery of many new enantioselective transformations. Based on this strategy, a number of bioinspired processes for the enantioselective organocatalytic transfer hydrogenation of alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds and imines have been discovered. These topics will be the focus of this Account.

Approches perceptives et cognitives en analyse automatique d'images de documents

This paper presents a synthesis of bio-inspired processes and cognitive approaches that are applied to documents images analysis and recognition. Currently, we can classify those methods in two classes: system approaches and punctual methods. The first class of methods implies perceptive rules in all processing steps from the low level features extraction (including perceptive primitives, orientation, edges, curvature, colours, texture...) to the high level interpretation and recognition with the use of some well-known cognitive models that are linked to memory processes and shapes reconstruction. The most punctual approaches are more numerous and are generally dealing with information retrieval, and texture based classification for text regions labelling. This paper tries to reveal scientific locks, current problematic through targeted applications, and the real needs for future works.