Biological Prototype Research Articles

Mechanical Behavior of Bio-Inspired Honeycomb-Core Composite Sandwich Structures to Low-Velocity Dynamic Loading.

In order to improve the impact resistance of sandwich panels under low-velocity impact, the lotus leaf vein is selected as a biological prototype to design a bio-inspired honeycomb (BIH) sandwich panel. ABAQUS is used to establish and effectively verify the finite element (FE) model of the BIH sandwich panel. To systematically compare and study the mechanical properties of BIH and conventional hexagonal honeycomb sandwich panels under low-velocity impact, the maximum displacement of face-sheets, the deformation mode, the plastic energy consumption and the dynamic response curve of the impact end are presented. At the same time, the performance differences between them are revealed from the perspective of an energy absorption mechanism. Furthermore, the influence of the circumscribed circle diameter ratio of the BIH trunk to branch (γ), the thickness ratio of the trunk to branch (K) and the impact angle (θ) on impact resistance is studied. Finally, the BIH sandwich panel is further optimized by using the response surface method. It can be concluded that, compared to conventional hexagonal honeycomb sandwich panels, the addition of walls in the BIH sandwich panel reduces the maximum deformation of the rear face-sheet by 10.29% and increases plastic energy consumption by 8.02%. Properly adjusting the structural parameters can effectively enhance the impact resistance of the BIH sandwich panel.

A Biological Immunity-Based Neuro Prototype for Few-Shot Anomaly Detection with Character Embedding.

Anomaly detection has wide applications to help people recognize false, intrusion, flaw, equipment failure, etc. In most practical scenarios, the amount of the annotated data and the trusted labels is low, resulting in poor performance of the detection. In this paper, we focus on the anomaly detection for the text type data and propose a detection network based on biological immunity for few-shot detection, by imitating the working mechanism of the immune system of biological organisms. This network enabling the protected system to distinguish the aggressive behavior of "nonself" from the legitimate behavior of "self" by embedding characters. First, it constructs episodic task sets and extracts data representations at the character level. Then, in the pretraining phase, Word2Vec is used to embed the representations. In the meta-learning phase, a dynamic prototype containing encoder, routing, and relation is designed to identify the data traffic. Compare to the mean-based prototype, the proposed prototype applies a dynamic routing algorithm that assigns different weights to samples in the support set through multiple iterations to obtain a prototype that combines the distribution of samples. The proposed method is validated on 2 real traffic datasets. The experimental results indicate that (a) the proposed anomaly detection prototype outperforms state-of-the-art few-shot techniques with 1.3% to 4.48% accuracy and 0.18% to 4.55% recall; (b) under the premise of ensuring the accuracy and recall, the number of training samples is reduced to 5 or 10; (c) ablation experiments are designed for each module, and the results show that more accurate prototypes can be obtained by using the dynamic routing algorithm.

Dynamics and hydrodynamic efficiency of diving beetle while swimming

Diving beetle, an excellent biological prototype for bionic underwater vehicles, can achieve forward swimming, backward swimming, and flexible cornering by swinging its two powerful hind legs. An in-depth study of the propulsion performance of them will contribute to the micro underwater vehicles. In this paper, the kinematic and dynamic parameters, and the hydrodynamic efficiency of the diving beetle are studied by analysis of swimming videos using Motion Capture Technology, combined with CFD simulations. The results show that the hind legs of diving beetle can achieve high propulsion force and low return resistance during one propulsion cycle at both forward and backward swimming modes. The propulsion efficiencies of forward and backward swimming are 0.47 and 0.30, respectively. Although the efficiency of backward swimming is lower, the diving beetle can reach a higher speed in a short time at this mode, which can help it avoid natural enemies. At backward swimming mode, there is a long period of passive swing of hind legs, larger drag exists at higher speed during the recovery stroke, which reduces the propulsion efficiency to a certain extent. Reasonable planning of the swing speed of the hind legs during the power stroke and the recovery stroke can obtain the highest propulsion efficiency of this propulsion method. This work will be useful for the development of a bionic propulsion system of micro underwater vehicle.

Underwater Oleophobic Electrospun Membrane with Spindle-Knotted Structured Fibers for Oil-in-Water Emulsion Separation

The potential of spider silk as an intriguing biological prototype for collecting water from a humid environment has attracted wide attention, and various materials with suitable structures have been engineered. Here, inspired by this phenomenon, a kind of superwetting poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membrane with spindle-knotted structured fibers was prepared by the electrospinning method followed by oxygen plasma etching treatment. The prepared membrane presented a satisfactory separation efficiency for various oil-in-water emulsions. The cooperative effect of the special wettability property and the spindle-knot structure stimulated the emulsified oil droplets to accumulate quickly on the membrane surface. A model that explains the accumulation of emulsified oil droplets has also been developed. Furthermore, an artificial fiber comprising a micron-sized spindle-knot structure was prepared by the dip-coating method to clearly illustrate the aggregation process of the emulsified oil droplets and to verify the theoretical explanation. We hope that this study will provide new inspiration for oil/water emulsion separation techniques.

Research progress of bionic fog collection surfaces based on special structures from natural organisms.

With the increasing shortage of water resources, people are seeking more innovative ways to collect fog to meet the growing need for production and the demand for livelihood. It has been proven that fog collection is efficient for collecting water in dry but foggy areas. As a hot research topic in recent years, bionic surfaces with fog collection functions have attracted widespread attention in practical applications and basic research. By studying natural organisms and bionic surfaces, more avenues are provided for the development of fog collection devices. Firstly, starting from biological prototypes, this article explored the structural characteristics and fog collection mechanisms of natural organisms such as spider silk, desert beetles, cactus, Nepenthes and other animals and plants (Sarracenia, shorebird and wheat awn), revealing the fog collection mechanism of the natural organisms based on microstructures. Secondly, based on the theory of interfacial tension, we would delve into the fog collection function's theoretical basis and wetting model, expounding the fog collection mechanism from a theoretical perspective. Thirdly, a detailed introduction was given to prepare bionic surfaces and recently explore fog collection devices. For bionic surfaces of a single biological prototype, the fog collection efficiency is about 2000-4000 mg cm-2 h-1. For bionic surfaces of multiple biological prototypes, the fog collection efficiency reaches 7000 mg cm-2 h-1. Finally, a critical analysis was conducted on the current challenges and future developments, aiming to promote the next generation of fog collection devices from a scientific perspective from research to practical applications.

Research on Bionic Design of Hand Functional Rehabilitation Products Driven by Biological Prototype

Research on Bionic Design of Hand Functional Rehabilitation Products Driven by Biological Prototype

Biological Prototype Acquisition Based on Biological Coupling in Bionic Design.

Because the judgment basis in the process of biological prototype screening is highly subjective, and because it is difficult to generate a scheme when using multiple biological prototypes for bionic design, this work proposes a biological prototype retrieval and matching method for multibiological prototype bionic design. Using BioTRIZ in combination with biological coupling mechanism analysis, orthogonal analysis, and the calculation of the goodness value of the scheme, a multibiological prototype bionic design model is constructed. First, the biological prototype contradictions matrix is obtained by BioTRIZ. Then, a biological coupling mechanism analysis is carried out to calculate the goodness value of the auxiliary scheme to further evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the biological prototype. The orthogonal analysis is then conducted to select the optimal biological prototype combination scheme. Finally, the best biological prototype combination scheme is transformed into the final design scheme according to the biological coupling mode prompts. According to this process, the innovative design of an automatic food threading machine was carried out, and an experiment was conducted for verification. The results demonstrate that the machine after bionic improvement could meet the design requirements, and the feasibility and effectiveness of the established design model were verified.

Visual Information Computing and Processing Model Based on Artificial Neural Network.

This paper analyzes the parallel and serial information processing structure of visual system and proposes a visual information processing model with three layers: visual receptor layer, visual information conduction and relay layer, and information processing layer of visual information computing and processing area. Based on the analysis, abstraction, and simplification of the biological prototype of each layer in the visual system, a framework model of an artificial neural system corresponding to the visual system is proposed. An artificial neural network model is proposed to simulate the mechanism of visual attention. A network model is formed by introducing the saliency mask map as additional information on the benchmark network, and the selective enhancement operation is performed on the extracted features in different regions according to the mask map. The experimental results show that the visual computing processing network model can effectively improve the classification performance of the network when the appropriate saliency mask is used. The visual information computing and processing model network can work effectively for different data sets and different structures of the benchmark network, which is a universal network model. The complexity of visual information computing and processing model network is very small, and the improvement of network performance is not at the cost of increasing model complexity, but in the way of improving network efficiency. The performance of artificial neural network visual information computation and processing model is directly related to the performance of saliency map used as mask map.

Conversion of Thermal Energy to Gas Flow Kinetic Energy in the Bionic Leaf Stomata

In the technical field, the potential energy of gas under pressure is converted into mechanical kinetic energy by means of special complex channels. Leaf stomata perform a similar function in plant leaves. The shape of leaf stomata channels is much more sophisticated compared to gas flow transformation channels in energy production facilities. There is a biological prototype of a heat engine in the leaf, where leaf stomata convert thermal energy into mechanical kinetic energy of the flow with a change in leaf temperature. The paper presents experimental research on thermal energy conversion into mechanical kinetic energy of the flow in plant leaf stomata. The values of biological heat engine in a plant leaf and the associated processes are minute. The operation of the biological heat engine in a plant leaf was proven by indirect experimental measurements. After applying a light source flux to a plant leaf and inducing a temperature change in the tissues of the plant leaf, the rotational movements of a freely hanging plant leaf about the suspension axis were studied. When studying the dependence of plant leaf rotation movements on the area of the plant leaf, it was found that at a 150 W light source, the angle of rotation increased as the area of the plant leaf increased. For a plant leaf with an area of 52.5 ± 1.9 cm2, the angle of rotation reached 165°; 29.1 ± 1.1 cm2—143°; 16.0 ± 0.8 cm2—92°; and 9.2 ± 0.6 cm2—44°. The angular speed of plant leaf rotation was from 0.070–0.262 rad/s. The influence of light sources on the rotation angle of the plant leaf was studied; when illuminating the active leaf area of 25.0 ± 1.0 cm2 of the plant with a 40 W power light source, after 11 s, the rotation angle reached 31°, 60 W—97°, 100 W—131° and 150 W—134°. The effect of light sources (from 40 to 150 W) on the angular rotation speed of the plant leaf varies at 0.049–0.213 rad/s, respectively.

Justification of the rotary working bodies of the cultivator for processing between the rows of plantations of lavender oilseed on the basis of agricultural biomechanics

The article presents the methods and results of modeling in agricultural biomechanics, which made it possible to substantiate models of cultivator working bodies adapted to the soil environment based on rotary discs with teeth. The biological prototype of this design is the burrowing limb of a rhinoceros beetle. It is proposed to solve the problems of improving the shape of rotary discs with teeth on the basis of the use of a mechanical-bionic approach, which allows to analytically describe the dependencies for determining the minimum number of steps of cutting notches between the teeth and the number of teeth on the disc, as well as the rational value of their length. The use of a new type of working bodies - a toothed flat disc, designed in a bionic manner, will increase the efficiency of weed control during inter-row tillage, and also reduce traction resistance.

A Trimming Design Method Based on Bio-Inspired Design for System Innovation

The application of design knowledge determines the innovativeness of a technical scheme obtained by trimming (a tool for problem analysis and solving in TRIZ). However, limitations in the knowledge, experience and expertise of designers constrain the range of design knowledge that they can apply, thus reducing the effectiveness of trimming. In this paper, biological strategies are introduced to the trimming process to compensate for limitations imposed by the insufficient professional knowledge of designers, thereby improving design innovation. Therefore, this paper proposes a new design method that combines the trimming method and bio-inspired design (BID). First, a trimming analysis of the target system is carried out. Taking the missing functions of the trimmed system as a potential breakthrough point, a keyword search mode based on “V(verb)O(object)P(property) + the effect/features of the associated function” is used to search for biological prototypes in the biological knowledge base. Second, a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is used to analyze the biological prototypes from three dimensions, namely, compatibility, completeness and feasibility, and the best-matching biological prototype is selected. Finally, the biological solution is transformed into an engineering design scheme through a resource derivation process based on structure–function–attribute analogies. The proposed method can expand the range of design solutions by adding biological strategies as a new resource to solve trimming problems. The feasibility and effectiveness of the method are verified by redesigning a steel tape armoring machine.

Экспериментальная модель многолучевого устройства для наблюдения в радиосвете

The possibility of creation of biological eye analogue working in radio-frequency is considered in order to observe the environment using artificial radiolight. In accordance with its biological prototype, this analogue consists of system of sensitive elements (retina), lens-like focusing element and the set of directional antennas that are used for primary processing of received noise-like ultrawideband radiation. The experimental device of this type is proposed and its performance is demonstrated.

Optimum Anti-erosion Structures and Anti-erosion Mechanism for Rotatory Samples Inspired by Scorpion Armor of Parabuthus transvaalicus

Solid particle erosion on the material surfaces is a very common phenomenon in the industrial field, which greatly affects the efficiency, service life, and even poses a great threat to life safety. However, current research on erosion resistance is not only inefficient, but also limited to the improvement of hardness and toughness of materials. Inspired by typical scorpion (Parabuthus transvaalicus), biomimetic functional samples with exquisite anti-erosion structures were manufactured. Macroscopic morphology and structure of the biological prototype were analyzed and measured. According to above analysis, combined with response surface methodology, a set of biomimetic samples with different structural parameters were fabricated by using 3D printing technology. The anti-erosion performance of these biomimetic samples was investigated using a blasting jet machine. Based on the results of blasting jet test, as well as regression analysis and fitting, the optimal structural parameters were obtained. In addition to the static test conditions, the optimal biomimetic sample was also eroded in rotating condition and showed excellent erosion resistance property. The presence of bump and groove structures, on the one hand, reduced the eroded area of biomimetic sample surface. On the other hand, they made the airflow turbulent and consequently reduced the impact energy of solid particles, which significantly improved the erosion resistance of biomimetic materials. This study provides a new strategy to improve the service life of components easily affected by erosion in the aviation, energy and military fields.

Metal organic framework enhanced SPEEK/SPSF heterogeneous membrane for ion transport and energy conversion

Abstract Bioinspired nanofluidic devices have drawn increasing global interest due to their giant applicable potential in a wide range of fields. By mimicking biological prototype, it is expected to achieve high energy conversion efficiency and tunable ion transport. However, the low osmotic conversion efficiency, weak ion transport capability and poor mechanical performance limit practical application. We designed a class of heterogeneous membrane consisting of a support layer and a thin top layer to meet fundamental requirements. To achieve higher power generation, we incorporated metal organic framework (MOF) nanosheets (dispersed phase) into polymer matrix (continuous phase) to afford a mixed matrix top layer. This unique structure addressed the geometric restriction associated with the polymeric specie due to their limited pore accessibility. As a result, the presented membranes produced high power density of ca. 7 W m−2 and a high energy conversion efficiency of ca. 40% under a salinity gradient of 50 (0.5 M|0.01 M, NaCl). This work thus offers an insight into a new methodology in the development of a novel membrane technology for highly efficient energy conversion.

НАУКОВІ ОСНОВИ ДОСЯГНЕННЯ ЕФЕКТУ САМОЗАГОСТРЮВАННЯ РІЗАЛЬНИХ ЕЛЕМЕНТІВ РОБОЧИХ ОРГАНІВ ҐРУНТООБРОБНИХ МАШИН

На основі аналізу джерел інформації встановлено, що для розроблення самозагострювальних різальних елементів робочих органів ґрунтообробних машин не потрібно буквально копіювати біологічні прототипи, оскільки в живій природі відсутні прототипи, які працюють в ідентичних умовах та режимах і мають такі ж цілі. При розробці самозагострювальних різальних елементів робочих органів ґрунтообробних машин необхідно використовувати частково принципи із живої природи та враховувати досягнення інженерної науки. У статті запропоновані технологічні та конструктивні методи для досягнення ефекту самозагострювання різальних елементів найбільш поширених робочих органів ґрунтообробних машин із урахуванням умов та режимів експлуатації. До основних параметрів двошарового самозагострювального різального елементу робочого органу відносяться: співвідношення зносостійкості і геометричних параметрів матеріалу основи та зносостійкого покриття, співвідношення параметрів зносостійкого покриття в різних зонах робочого органу, початковий кут загострення та сторона нанесення зносостійкого покриття. Експлуатаційні випробовування підтвердили доцільність впровадження зміцнення робочих органів для досягнення ефекту самозагострювання їх різальних елементів на всіх типах ґрунтів. У результаті самозагострювання різальних елементів робочих органів ґрунтообробних машин спостерігається зменшення тягового опору агрегату та витрати пального на 10…12%.

A lightweight bionic design for a scanner based on the 3D architecture of root system of pine trees

Lightweight design is usually a critical criterion in many engineering fields. In addition to the well-developed method topology optimization, structural bionics is also considered an effective approach to obtain innovative designs with lightweight. In nature, trees have evolved highly developed root systems to maximize the efficiency in anchorage. Inspired by the 3D branch structure of plant roots, this paper selects the root system of pine trees as a biological prototype for the optimization of a scanner which has a strict requirement for the flatness. First, a topology-optimized structure of the scanner is modeled and simulated for its mechanical behavior. Next, architectural and mechanical characteristics of the tap root system of pine trees are investigated through sensitivity analysis. Similarity analysis between the root system and the scanner is performed from three aspects. Then, by imitating the spatial configuration of pine tree roots, a bionic design for the scanner is proposed and modeled. Finally, finite element method (FEM) is carried out to evaluate the mechanical performance of the original model, the bionic model, and the topology-optimized model in terms of weight, dynamics response, and specific stiffness efficiency. Comparison results show that the proposed bionic model provides the best lightweight solution for the scanner, followed by the topology-optimized model. The proposed bionic model suggests a new solution to the design of the supporting system of “tower-like” structures and extends the application of branch-based bionics from planar systems to complex spatial systems.

Substantiation of the arrangement and parameters of the loosening compacting discs of tillage rollers with a bionic approach

The article presents the methods and results of bionic modeling in agricultural mechanics, which made it possible to substantiate the arrangement and parameters of the working bodies of the loosening compacting discs of tillage rollers adapted to the soil environment using the regularities of the arrangement of thorns on wide rings of the tail in the biological prototype of the girdle tail (Cordylidae). Based on the principle of multi-contact action of the teeth and toothed plates of the roller discs on the soil layer, the coefficient of the arrangement of the discs on the roller is equal to 0.22 ... 0.24, as well as the number of toothed plates and teeth on the working surface of the loosening compacting disc of the roller, which is in the range of 6 ... 12, which is consistent with the arrangement of spines along the circumference of the wide rings on the tail of the girdle. The results of experimental studies, confirming the decrease in the traction resistance of the proposed working bodies of the loosening compacting discs of tillage rollers for surface tillage are presented.

Bio-pixels: A stem cell-based interactive–generative interface designed to redefine technologies of self-making in new media arts

Bio-pixels is a stem cell-based interactive–generative interface designed to investigate the concept of ‘self-making’. The project uses stem cells as a biological prototype of an identity-free substance and defines in vivo stem cell differentiation processes as nature’s self-making technology. It therefore considers in vitro-induced differentiation processes as artificial self-making technologies that were recontextualized through the interactions between the world of genes and the world of bits. The project’s system was functionally built based on three operational principles derived from convergence technologies that facilitate a mutual functional shift between bio-media and digital media and reveal the extent to which this shift leads to a reconciliation between our biological and narrative identities. Empirically, the project remodelled visual maps of cellular activities during the induced differentiation processes by which cells acquire their identity. Finally, a generative biological–digital mirror was architected by which the viewers see their faces resynthesized as the result of the interactions between the artificial remodelled differentiation processes and the participants’ activities at the project’s physical place and its Twitter page. Within this context, Bio-pixels highlights the consequences of today’s bioinformatics on in vitro artificial processes of self-making through which the public can control, enhance or resynthesize their identities.

Conceptual Model and Interior Design "Water Strider" Ekranoplan

This paper deals with the computer modeling of conceptually new ekranoplan and the design of its passenger salon, from the sketch to a ready model. In this work, features of this type of transport are noted and the review of the current state of the market of small-size ekranoplan of different function is made. Publications concerning a research and model operation of the vessels using wing-in-ground effect during flight are described. The concept of a new ekranoplan on the basis of a biological prototype from the operation environment is offered and visual and graphic solutions of the developed model are provided. Outline drawings, the key operational parameters of an ekranoplan are presented and stage-by-stage three-dimensional model of design parts of the vessel is carried out. For modeling the method of a polygonal extrusion is used and the configuration of passenger salon taking into account ergonomic norms is given. Explicitly stages of modeling of a passenger seat, creation and assignment of materials when shading a scene are considered and the characteristics of sources of lighting, feature of rendering process are specified. The final scenes of realistic rendering are presented, namely the rise of an ekranoplan, an interior of passenger salon and the coastal landing module for an ekranoplan.

Bio-inspirations for the Development of Light Materials based on the Nanomechanical Properties and Microstructures of Beetle Dynastes tityus

Dynastes tityus (D. tityus) is a typical beetle whose elytra are light and strong. The primary function of elytra is to protect beetle’s hindwings. In this paper, D. tityus elytra were selected as the biological prototype for the investigation to obtain bio-inspirations for the design and development of light materials with high ratio of strength to mass. Firstly, the microstructure investigation and quasi-static nanoindentation tests have been carried out on the ten samples of the selected elytra of D. tityus to reveal their mechanical properties and microstructures. Secondly, based on the findings from the microstructure investigation and nanoindentation tests, three models of bio-inspired materials have been proposed for further study to gain the deep understanding of the relationships between the special mechanical characteristics and microstructures. Then Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulations have been performed on the three models for harvesting the bio-inspirations for the initial design of light materials. Finally, through comparative analysis of the findings from the microstructure investigation, the nanoindentation tests and the simulations, some meaningful bio-inspirations have been reaped for the future optimization of the design and development of light materials with high ratio of strength to mass.