Biological Prototype Research Articles

Visualization and Feature Extraction of the Surface Morphology of the Abdomen of Red Swamp Crayfish

This paper demonstrates a method for visual reconstruction and feature analysis of the surface morphology of red swamp crayfish in CATIA (Computer Aided Three Dimensional Interactive Application) and Microsoft Excel. Red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, with efficient burrowing activities and coupling propel pattern of abdomen with tail, was selected to study the feasible methods in the visual reconstruction and feature analysis of the surface morphology of living things. The digital measurements of surface of the red swamp crayfish were carried out using a three-dimensional laser scanner. Point clouds, the scanning digital data of the surface of the red swamp crayfish, were processed by deleting unwanted data, reconstructing surface in CATIA. There was a perfectly shape character similarity between the digital picture of the abdomen with corresponding point clouds shown in CATIA, and transverse curves which shown the surface morphology of abdomen in the cross section along the red swamp crayfish were obtained and saved as files of ASCII format in CATIA. Feature analysis of the abdomen of red swamp crayfish were carried out after files of single transverse curve were imported into Microsoft Excel, results shown that, the first row in file of single transverse curve was the number of rows after it, and those other rows stored coordinate values of measured points of the abdomen in the preset three-dimensional coordinate system, shapes of the abdomen in different cross sections were similar, and quadratic polynomial regression equation was able to effectively express surface morphology of the abdomen of red swamp crayfish. Methods and results presented in this paper prove to be potentially useful for analyzing the feature of biological prototype, optimizing the mathematical model and affording deformable physical model to bionic engineering, those works would have great implications to the research of biological coupling theory and technological creation in bionic engineering. Key words: Visual reconstruction; Feature analysis; Surface morphology; Red swamp crayfish

Laser Bionic Strengthening Local Grid of Mould Surface

For the short life of enterprise hot work die directly caused to problems in the waste of resources and the rising cost of production. Based on studying the biological prototype of crack-resistance of dragonfly wings and finding surface thermal fatigue crack is one of the main factors affecting life of the hot work mould, it is put forward thoughts about the local laser bionic strengthening the grid mould surface. Different from the traditional mould surface integral laser transformation hardening (LTH) technology, by using laser melting simulating dragonfly wings to block localized crack in the partial surface of mold, bionic strengthened die life is improved within 1~1.5 times. Experiment results on die steel shows that it is provided a new method to improve the service life of die casting mold and promoting this technology will bring significant economic benefits for the mold industry.

Using IDL to Visual Analyse the Point Clouds of the Surface of Crayfish

The digital measurements of surfaces of the crayfish were carried out by using the LSV 50 laser scanner, a non-touch three-dimensional laser scanner, and point clouds were the scanning digital data of the surface of crayfish. The work described in this paper represents a method for visual analyse the point clouds of the surface of crayfish in IDL (Interactive Data Language), which integrates a powerful, array-oriented language with numerous mathematical analysis and graphical display techniques. IDL provides a high level of flexibility to access, analyse and visualize the data with different methods. Point clouds of the surface of crayfish were imported, reconstructed and feature analysed by using iTools, the IDL Intelligent Tools. Polynomial regression equation of the surface of crayfish in selected cross section was also derived by programming in IDL. Detailed information about the LSV 50 laser scanner were also inverse deduced in iTools.Methods and results presented in this paper prove to be potentially useful for visual analyzing the feature of biological prototype, optimizing the mathematical model and affording deformable physical model to bionic engineering, those works would have great implications to the research of biological coupling theory and technological creation in bionic engineering. Key words: Visualization; Analyse; Point clouds; Surface; Crayfish; IDL

Visual Reconstruction and Feature Analysis of the Three-Dimensional Surface of Earthworm

This paper demonstrates a method for visual reconstruction and feature analysis of the three-dimensional surface of earthworm in CATIA (Computer Aided Three Dimensional Interactive Application) and IDL (Interactive Data Language). The earthworm, with a relatively simple surface morphology and good capability in reducing soil adhesion and resistance, was selected to study the feasible methods in the visual reconstruction and feature analysis of the three-dimensional surface of living things. The digital measurements of surfaces of the earthworm were carried out using a three-dimensional laser scanner. Point clouds, the scanning digital data of the surface of the earthworm, were processed by screening unwanted data, reconstructing surface and analysing feature in CATIA. In order to get more detail information about the point clouds, IDL, which integrates a powerful, array-oriented language with numerous mathematical analysis and graphical display techniques, was adopted for the visual reconstruction and feature analysis of three- dimensional surface of the earthworm. Importing of point clouds and reconstruction of the surface of earthworm were conducted in CATIA. Analysis feature of the scanning data and reconstructing surface were carried out in IDL, which provides a high level of flexibility to access, analyse and visualize the data using different methods. Polynomial regression equation of the surface of earthworm in the longitudinal plane was derived. In addition, point clouds were more easily displayed and analysed by resizing, rotating and zooming in IDL. Methods and results presented in this paper prove to be potentially useful for analyzing the feature of biological prototype, optimizing the mathematical model and affording deformable physical model to bionic engineering, those works would have great implications to the research of biological coupling theory and technological creation in bionic engineering. Keywords: Visual Reconstruction; Feature Analysis; Three-Dimensional Surface; Earthworm; CATIA; IDL

Encapsulation of a β-carboline in cucurbit[7]uril

Inclusion of a biological photosensitizer and prototype of β-carbolines, norharmane (NHM), into the cavity of cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) has been investigated for the first time, by using 1H NMR and UV–visible spectroscopy, and ab initio calculations. Protonated NHM forms a very stable host–guest complex with CB[7] in aqueous solution, with a binding constant of (9.0 ± 0.5) × 104 M−1. The encapsulation of NHM into CB[7] has driven the prototropic equilibrium of NHM to protonated NHM (NHMH+) at neutral pH. A pH titration for the host–guest complex revealed a moderate shift of the acid–base equilibrium in the ground-state (from 7.2 to 7.9), which may be caused by the low polarity microenvironment of the CB[7] cavity. The CB[7] provides a binding pocket for the hydrophobic molecule, and the polar, carbonyl-lined portals offering an anchoring site for the positive charge of the cationic species NHMH+.

Electric fishes as a biological prototype of new technology

Physics, mathematics, and chemistry were traditionally considered basic for the development of new technology. They suggested solutions for achieving maximum characteristics, such as maximum range, speed, strength, and precision, which were especially important in the military sphere. However, in recent years, new technology developers have increasingly often been addressing biological sciences. This paper considers a bionic approach to short-range underwater location, orientation, and communication equipment. This topic has been being researched at the Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, RAS, for more than 30 years.

Biological inspirations, kinematics modeling, mechanism design and experiments on an undulating robotic fin inspired by Gymnarchus niloticus

Abstract This paper suggests and then presents a whole procedure of biomimetics with a case study starting from amiiform fish ( Gymnarchus niloticus ) to an undulating robotic fin. The procedure includes biological observation, kinematics modeling, mechanism design, prototype implementation, and initial experiments. To investigate undulatory median fin propulsion and its potential for applications in man-made underwater vehicles, a motor-driven fin actuator, RoboGnilos , has been developed with inspirations from G. niloticus , which generally swims by undulations of a long flexible dorsal fin. In the kinematics modeling, the ruled surface based model is proposed to describe the undulation characteristics and used as a guide for the biomimetic mechanism design and implementation. Next, a modular independent motor-driven mechanism is adopted to implement the undulating prototype fin by virtue of reconfigurable features. Finally, initial experiments have been carried out to analyse how undulation dynamics is affected with the morphological parameters (i.e., the asymmetry of waveforms, the fin surface material, and the fin ray length) and the undulatory parameters (in terms of the wave length, the amplitude, and the undulation frequency). The kinematics simulation presented in this paper shows that the proposed ruled surface model can better describe and fit more undulation characteristics than other models. And the experiments verify that the design of the modular motor-driven mechanism is convenient and effective.

Functional Biomimetic Microlens Arrays with Integrated Pores

Synthetic, biomimetic microlens arrays with integrated pores are presented for the first time. Their appearance and function are strikingly similar to their biological prototype—a highly efficient optical element formed by brittlestars (see Figure; biological (left) and synthetic (right) lens arrays). The microlenses have a strong focusing ability, and light-absorbing liquids can be transported in and out of the pores between the lenses, allowing tunability of their optical properties over a wide range.

Multifunctional Biomimetic Microlens Arrays with Integrated Pores

Biology provides a multitude of varied, new paradigms for the development of adaptive optical networks. We discuss a first example of synthetic, biomimetic microlens arrays with integrated pores, whose appearance and function are strikingly similar to their biological prototype – a highly efficient optical element formed by brittlestars. The complex microstructure is created directly by three-beam interference lithography in a single exposure from a negative-tone photoresist, SU8. We show that (i) these synthetic polymeric microlenses have strong focusing ability and the structure can be, therefore, (ii) used as an adjustable lithographic mask, and that (iii) light-absorbing liquids can be transported in and out of the pores between the lenses, which provides a wide range of tunability of the lens optical properties.

CrossNets: high-performance neuromorphic architectures for CMOL circuits.

The exponential, Moore's Law, progress of electronics may be continued beyond the 10-nm frontier if the currently dominant CMOS technology is replaced by hybrid CMOL circuits combining a silicon MOSFET stack and a few layers of parallel nanowires connected by self-assembled molecular electronic devices. Such hybrids promise unparalleled performance for advanced information processing, but require special architectures to compensate for specific features of the molecular devices, including low voltage gain and possible high fraction of faulty components. Neuromorphic networks with their defect tolerance seem the most natural way to address these problems. Such circuits may be trained to perform advanced information processing including (at least) effective pattern recognition and classification. We are developing a family of distributed crossbar network (CrossNet) architectures that permit the combination of high connectivity neuromorphic circuits with high component density. Preliminary estimates show that this approach may eventually allow us to place a cortex-scale circuit with about 10(10) neurons and about 10(14) synapses on an approximately 10 x 10 cm(2) silicon wafer. Such systems may provide an average cell-to-cell latency of about 20 nsec and, thus, perform information processing and system training (possibly including self-evolution after initial training) at a speed that is approximately six orders of magnitude higher than in its biological prototype and at acceptable power dissipation.

Model study of muscle spindle primary endings subjected to dynamic fusimotor activation.

An earlier proposed model of the de-efferented muscle spindle mechano-receptors has been developed further to simulate the effects of the dynamic fusimotor (γ D) activation of the group Ia afferents (primary endings). The rate sensitivity of the original second order receptor model might be increased simply by increasing the overall viscous damping of the simulated polar regions of the nuclear bag fibre. However, adequate simulation of the typical time course of the stretch response of the primary endings during γ D-activation required a subdivision of the polar regions into an active and a passive part. A reasonable behaviour of the model was obtained by simulating a local contraction covering about 50–90% of the polar regions of the nuclear bag fibres. The ramp response of the model showed a “quick” rate response component that increased by increasing the rate of the simulated stretch. This component was not significantly influenced by the simulated γ D-activation. A “slow” rate component appeared to increase approximately in the same proportion as the intensity of the simulated γ D-activation. The behaviour of the model closely corresponds to that of the biological prototype. The study demonstrates that the electrophysiological effects of activating the dynamic fusimotor fibres are indeed compatible with peripheral mechanical events associated with contraction phenomena within the polar regions of the nuclear bag intrafusal muscle fibres.

A second order mechanical model of muscle spindle primary endings.

With reference to experimental data and the failure of earlier proposed first order linear models of mammalian muscle spindles, a second order mechanical model of de-efferented primary endings is studied. The model takes into account the presence of two different types of intrafusal muscle fibres in a complete spindle organ. It further allows the incorporation of different gain of the mechano-electric conversion into a depolarization of the sensory terminals innervating the two types of fibres. It is shown that a closer approximation to the behaviour of the biological prototype is obtained if the transducer gain of the branch corresponding to the nuclear bag intrafusal fibres is chosen significantly higher than that corresponding to the nuclear chain branch. The marked nonlinear behaviour of muscle spindle primary endings as recently reported by Matthews and Stein (1968, 1969) is interpreted as a saturation effect of the high gain mechano-electric transducer of the nuclear bag branch. The saturation is considered to reflect a condition of complete depolarization of these sensory terminals. If a higher transducer gain actually is present, a complete depolarization of these terminals would occur at a lower degree of mechanical deformation than for the nuclear chain terminals. The mechano-electric transducer system of the nuclear chain fibres might thus behave approximately linearly within a larger range of input amplitudes. The greatly reduced gain of the primary endings at large emplitudes of imposed muscle vibrations as observed experimentally (Matthews and Stein, 1968, 1969) may thus be accounted for by the transducer gain of the nuclear chain fibres alone.