Bionic Approach Research Articles

A Star‐Nose‐Inspired Bionic Soft Robot for Nonvisual Spatial Detection and Reconstruction

The star‐nosed mole is recognized as a tactilely sensitive mammal due to its unique nose, which facilitates spatial detection in dark environments through touch using its appendages enveloped in numerous sensory receptors. This article introduces a bionic soft robot inspired by the star‐nosed mole, which combines a pneumatic soft platform with a polydimethylsiloxane–polyethylene terephthalate cylindrical tactile sensor array based on bilayer single‐electrode triboelectric nanogenerators, mimicking the muscle tissue of the mole's nose and the cylindrical appendages surrounded by Eimer's organs. The cylindrical sensor array enables multiangle spatial detection without an external power supply and remains unaffected by external materials. By implementing a constant curvature model for robot motion control, positional information is provided for the contact points between the cylindrical sensor array and the external environment. The robot effectively discriminates the distance and shape of various objects and achieves nonvisual 3D spatial detection and reconstruction in real‐world scenarios. This work presents a novel bionic approach for 3D spatial detection in nonvisual environments.

Search and recovery network for camouflaged object detection

Camouflaged object detection aims to accurately identify objects blending into the background. However, existing methods often struggle, especially with small object or multiple objects, due to their reliance on singular strategies. To address this, we introduce a novel Search and Recovery Network (SRNet) using a bionic approach and auxiliary features. SRNet comprises three key modules: the Region Search Module (RSM), Boundary Recovery Module (BRM), and Camouflaged Object Predictor (COP). The RSM mimics predator behavior to locate potential object regions, enhancing object location detection. The BRM refines texture features and recovers object boundaries. The COP fuse multilevel features to predict final segmentation maps. Experimental results on three benchmark datasets show SRNet's superiority over SOTA models, particularly with small and multiple objects. Notably, SRNet achieves performance improvements without significantly increasing model parameters. Moreover, the method exhibits promising performance in downstream tasks such as defect detection, polyp segmentation and military camouflage detection.

Integration of bionics, digital innovations, and democratic management principles for industrial transformation.

This article explores an innovative and interdisciplinary approach to the integration of bionic principles, digital technologies and democratic governance in the transformation of industrial production in Ukraine. Emphasis is placed on the adaptation of industrial production to modern requirements of sustainability, efficiency and environmental safety in the context of the Ukrainian economy. The bionic approach involves the integration of natural principles and mechanisms into technological processes, offering a unique perspective for increasing production efficiency and environmental sustainability. The main objectives of this study are to study how a bionic approach, combined with digital technologies and public participation in decision-making, can transform industrial production in Ukraine, making it more sustainable, efficient and environmentally friendly. This includes an analysis of the bionic approach and its potential to improve production efficiency, the role of digital technologies in optimizing production processes, and the impact of democratic governance on creating a fair and transparent economic system in an industrial context. The article provides strategic directions and recommendations that can help Ukraine adapt to global trends and use them for sustainable industrial development and improving the quality of life. The importance of the bionic approach in creating a sustainable and efficient industry is undeniable. The implementation of this approach not only reduces the environmental impact of production, but also stimulates innovative development, opening up new opportunities for the creation of technologies that are environmentally safe and cost-effective. The article also emphasizes the importance of public participation in economic decision-making in the industrial sector. This democratic governance in the economy, the key theme of the article, emphasizes the importance of involving civil society in decision-making processes in the economy, especially in the context of industrial reform.

Bamboo-Inspired Porous Scaffolds for Advanced Orthopedic Implants: Design, Mechanical Properties, and Fluid Characteristics.

In orthopedic implant development, incorporating a porous structure into implants can reduce the elastic modulus to prevent stress shielding but may compromise yield strength, risking prosthesis fracture. Bamboo's natural structure, with its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, serves as inspiration. This study explores biomimicry using bamboo-inspired porous scaffolds (BISs) resembling cortical bone, assessing their mechanical properties and fluid characteristics. The BIS consists of two 2D units controlled by structural parameters α and β. The mechanical properties, failure mechanisms, energy absorption, and predictive performance are investigated. BIS exhibits mechanical properties equivalent to those of natural bone. Specifically, α at 4/3 and β at 2/3 yield superior mechanical properties, and the destruction mechanism occurs layer by layer. Besides, the Gibson-Ashby models with different parameters are established to predict mechanical properties. Fluid dynamics analysis reveals two high-flow channels in BISs, enhancing nutrient delivery through high-flow channels and promoting cell adhesion and proliferation in low-flow regions. For wall shear stress below 30 mPa (ideal for cell growth), α at 4/3 achieves the highest percentage (99.04%), and β at 2/3 achieves 98.46%. Permeability in all structural parameters surpasses that of human bone. Enhanced performance of orthopedic implants through a bionic approach that enables the creation of pore structures suitable for implants.

Replicative Production of Multifunctional Microfluidic Polymer Films for Biomedical Disposables

Increasing demands on the reproducibility and accuracy of lab-on-a-chip systems in the life science sector require new tools for the molding of polymer films with spatially selectively functionalized surfaces. By applying local micro- and nanostructuring to the molding tools, the aim is to achieve multifunctionality of the polymer films, by setting certain wetting properties. This means that fluid-affecting properties (hydrophobic, hydrophilic) should be possible. To functionalize polymer films, the replication tools were specifically microstructured using laser-based surface functionalization. The periodic micro- and nanostructures were produced with the help of nanosecond pulsed and picosecond pulsed laser systems using Direct Laser Interference Patterning. For this purpose, complex functional microstructures in the range of 0.1 µm to 100 µm were developed based on a bionic approach. The functional properties were transferred in a one-step replicative process using UV-imprinting and were subsequently verified by determining the wetting behavior of the molded microfluidic films and the corresponding laser microstructured replication tools. This publication presents the successfully developed processes and the promising results of this series of experiments.

Paving new roads toward the advancement of broad-spectrum antiviral agents.

Broad-spectrum antivirals (BSAs) have the advantageous property of being effective against a wide range of viruses with a single drug, offering a promising therapeutic solution for the largely unmet need in treating both existing and emerging viral infections. In this review, we summarize the current strategies for the development of novel BSAs, focusing on either targeting the commonalities during the replication of multiple viruses or the systemic immunity of humans. In comparison to BSAs that target viral replication, these immuno-modulatory agents possess an expanded spectrum of antiviral activity. However, antiviral immunity is a double-edged sword, and maintaining immune homeostasis ultimately dictates the health status of hosts during viral infections. Therefore, establishing an ideal goal for immuno-modulation in antiviral interventions is crucial. Herein we propose a bionic approach for immuno-modulation inspired by mimicking bats, which possess a more robust immune system for combating viral invasions, compared to humans. In addition, we discuss an empirical approach to treat diverse viral infections using traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), mainly through bidirectional immuno-modulation to restore the disrupted homeostasis. Advancing our understanding of both the immune system of bats and the mechanisms underlying antiviral TCMs will significantly contribute to the future development of novel BSAs.

Affective computing for human-machine interaction via a bionic organic memristor exhibiting selective in situ activation.

Affective computing, representing the forefront of human-machine interaction, is confronted with the pressing challenges of the execution speed and power consumption brought by the transmission of massive data. Herein, we introduce a bionic organic memristor inspired by the ligand-gated ion channels (LGICs) to facilitate near-sensor affective computing based on electroencephalography (EEG). It is constructed from a coordination polymer comprising Co ions and benzothiadiazole (Co-BTA), featuring multiple switching sites for redox reactions. Through advanced characterizations and theoretical calculations, we demonstrate that when subjected to a bias voltage, only the site where Co ions bind with N atoms from four BTA molecules becomes activated, while others remain inert. This remarkable phenomenon resembles the selective in situ activation of LGICs on the postsynaptic membrane for neural signal regulation. Consequently, the bionic organic memristor network exhibits outstanding reliability (200 000 cycles), exceptional integration level (210 pixels), ultra-low energy consumption (4.05 pJ), and fast switching speed (94 ns). Moreover, the built near-sensor system based on it achieves emotion recognition with an accuracy exceeding 95%. This research substantively adds to the ambition of realizing empathetic interaction and presents an appealing bionic approach for the development of novel electronic devices.

Simulation and Optimization Study on the Ventilation Performance of High-Rise Buildings Inspired by the White Termite Mound Chamber Structure.

High-rise buildings often use mechanical systems to assist ventilation to maintain the stability of their internal environments, and the energy consumption of mechanical ventilation poses a great challenge to urban environments and energy systems. The ventilation system of termite mounds with a combination of internal main and attached chambers is one of the classic examples of nature's bionic approach to maintaining a stable internal ventilation environment for large-volume structures. In this study, based on the inspiration of the internal ventilation chamber structure of bionic termite mounds, we constructed seven high-rise building chamber ventilation models based on the chamber structure of termite mounds with main chambers, main chambers plus single-attached chambers (three types), and main chambers plus double-attached chambers (three types) under natural ventilation conditions, aiming at obtaining the optimal low-energy and high-efficiency chamber ventilation model for bionic termite mounds in high-rise buildings. (1) The wind speed and wind pressure of the high-rise building with the addition of the bionic termite mound chamber structure is higher than that of the traditional chamber-free high-rise building in the sample floors, the maximal difference of the wind speed between the two models is 0.05 m/s, and the maximal difference of the wind speed of the single building is 0.14 m/s, with the maximal difference of the wind speed of the single building being 0.14 m/s; and the natural ventilation environment can be satisfied by a high-rise building with a chamber. (2) After increasing the single-attached chamber structure of the bionic termite mound, the difference in wind speed of different floors is 0.15 m/s, which is 0.10 m/s higher than that of the high-rise building model with the main chamber only. (3) Under the bionic termite mound chamber high-rise building double-attached chamber model, the maximum difference in wind speed of each floor sampling point can reach 0.19 m/s, while the wind pressure cloud map shows a stable wind environment system. (4) Two attached chambers are added at A and B of the high-rise building to form the a4 model of the chamber of the high-rise building with a double-chamber bionic termite mound. According to the results, it can be seen that the model of the nine floor sampling points of the maximum wind speed difference has six places for the highest value, and the single building wind speed difference for the minimum value of 0.10 m/s. The study aims to optimize the connectivity and ventilation performance of high-rise buildings under natural ventilation conditions and to promote the green and sustainable design of high-rise buildings.

Modeling the compliance of the human eye with elastic membranes based on a bionic approach.

Together with the corneoscleral shell the intraocular pressure maintains the shape of the human eyeball and thus ensures both mechanical and optical integrity, whereby the relationship between the intraocular volume and pressure is described by the so-called ocular compliance. The compliance of the human eye is of significance insituations where a variation of the intraocular volume leads to a change in pressure or vice versa, as this is the case in many clinical settings. In order to provide a framework and set-up for experimental investigations and testing this paper presents a bionic inspired approach to simulate the ocular compliance by using elastomeric membranes- based on physiological behaviour. For parameter studies and for validation, the numerical analysis with hyperelastic material models shows good agreement with reported compliance curves. In addition, the compliance curves of six different elastomeric membranes have been measured. The results show that the characteristics of the compliance curve of the human eye can be modeled within a 5 % range using the proposed elastomeric membranes. A set-up for experimental investigations is presented that allows the simulation of the compliance curve of the human eye without simplifications in terms of shape, geometry, and deformation behaviour.

Algal cell bionics as a step towards photosynthesis-independent hydrogen production

The engineering and modulation of living micro-organisms is a key challenge in green bio-manufacturing for the development of sustainable and carbon-neutral energy technologies. Here, we develop a cellular bionic approach in which living algal cells are interfaced with an ultra-thin shell of a conductive polymer along with a calcium carbonate exoskeleton to produce a discrete cellular micro-niche capable of sustained photosynthetic and photosynthetic-independent hydrogen production. The surface-augmented algal cells induce oxygen depletion, conduct photo-induced extracellular electrons, and provide structural and chemical stability that collectively give rise to localized hypoxic conditions and concomitant hydrogenase activity under daylight in air. We show that assembly of the living cellular micro-niche opens a direct extracellular photoelectron pathway to hydrogenase resulting in photosynthesis-independent hydrogen evolution for 200 d. In addition, surface-conductive dead algal cells continue to produce hydrogen for up to 8 d due to their structural stability and retention of functional hydrogenases. Overall, the integration of artificial biological hydrogen production pathways and natural photosynthesis in surface-augmented algal cells provides a cellular bionic approach to enhanced green hydrogen production under environmentally benign conditions and could pave the way to new opportunities in sustainable energy production.

Bionic Approach to the Organization of Architectural Objects in the Sustainable Development Paradigm

Global environmental, social, and economic problems have led to the need to search for new architectural ideas according to the concept of sustainable development. The bionic approach makes it possible to identify optimal solutions developed by nature over the centuries of its existence for the organization of architectural objects. The purpose of the paper is to establish the prospects of applying the bionic approach to the organization of sustainable architectural objects. The paper presents a comparative analysis of scientific papers considering methods of biomimetic design, a case study, and a survey of experts. The characteristic directions of architectural bionics have been identified and described. Based on the analysis of the conditions for creating a comfortable living environment, solutions to sustainability problems using a bionic approach in the organization of architectural objects have been proposed. The authors pay special attention to the life cycle stages using natural forms in architectural shaping, borrowing natural structures to form the structures of architectural objects, interpreting natural materials and matter of living organisms in construction, and reproducing natural processes to solve architectural and urban problems. The authors identify the main approaches of bioanalog design based on the existing morphological characteristics of wildlife (branching, spiral formation, adaptation, polymerization) and propose solutions to the problems of creating sustainable habitats in the context of architectural space. It is concluded that the use of this approach will contribute to the formation of an ecological balance between nature and architecture.

Electrospinning spinneret: A bridge between the visible world and the invisible nanostructures

Electrospinning spinneret: A bridge between the visible world and the invisible nanostructures

A spider-silk-inspired soybean protein adhesive with high-strength and mildew-resistant via synergistic effect of MXene nanosheets and chitosan

Biomass adhesives show great potential in developing environment-friendly wood-based panel industry. Among them, soybean protein isolate (SPI) adhesives have a wide source of raw materials, but exploring high-strength, water-resistant, mildew-proof soybean protein-based adhesives remains a tremendous challenge. Inspired by the spatial structure arrangement of spider silk in nature, a facile and efficient bionic approach is adopted to prepare soybean protein adhesive with excellent overall performance by introducing chitosan (CS) and MXene nanosheets in soybean protein. The addition of MXene nanosheets is expected to form the β-sheet crystalline conformation of spider silk, which contributes to the formation of a tightly cross-linked adhesive system that hinders the penetration of moisture. Compared with the 1-SPI adhesive, the prepared 5-SPI/CS/MXene adhesive shows an increase of 175% in wet shear strength (1.76 MPa), indicating excellent adhesion strength and water resistance. Besides, the addition of CS benefits to improve the dispersibility of MXene in the adhesive system. Therefore, the synergy of MXene and CS significantly improves the strength, water resistance of the adhesive and increases the storage time from 7 d to more than 50 d. This research would provide a new idea for the preparation of biomass-based adhesives.

APPLICATION OF LOTKA-VOLTERRA MODEL FOR OPTIMIZATION OF AUTOMATED PARTS PROCESSING SYSTEM

The article shows peculiarities of the organization of technological processes of processing parts when applying automation of the enterprise and at same time defines main problems associated with production features, technological processes, problems of conservation and rational use of resources. It is shown that these problems are solved by optimizing production processes, in particular, e technological process of manufacturing precise parts of devices.
 Optimization of production has always been a very relevant issue for many enterprises in various branches of production. This is not surprising, because both the state and private business are always looking for new technologies and possible ways to reduce expenses, increase profits, and solve the problem of general improvement of production efficiency. However, after beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia on the territory of the sovereign state of Ukraine and the massive destruction of industrial and critical infrastructure, civilian buildings and housing, the issue of effective use of available and surviving resources became extremely urgent. According to official data, as of April 2022, losses of industrial assets amount to $6.7 billion. So, this is why there is a need to optimize production under condition of its automation.
 On the basis of research on the current state of optimization of automated systems for mechanical processing of parts and basic scientific research on this topic, approaches to the justification of a formalized optimization model aimed at increasing the efficiency of instrument-making production are considered. An optimization solution is proposed, based on use of Lotka-Volterra mathematical model, which will allow optimizing the operation of precision parts manufacturing systems under the condition of production automation. The results of conducted proved the expediency of such bionic approaches to the automation of technological structures of the production enterprise, since the proposed model is mostly used in research of biological processes.
 So, well-founded analogies made it possible to determine full range of production problems, including logistical problems and personnel problems based on competing models.
 The created software, namely a web application that performs all the necessary calculations, provides the ability to build graphs that visualize the results of the optimization of automated parts processing unit of enterprise, or the overall system, or its individual structural unit.

БІОНІЧНИЙ ПІДХІД ДО ВИГОТОВЛЕННЯ ЛИТИХ ЛЕГКОВАГИХ МЕТАЛОКОНСТРУКЦІЙ ДЛЯ БУДІВНИЦТВА СПОРУД МОДУЛЬНОГО ТИПУ

Prefab modular building metal structures have several advantages, especially for reuse, compared to building structures made of concrete and wood. Analysis of the structure of the cost of such metal structures and their installation proved that the most effective way to reduce their cost is to reduce metal consumption. Unlike welded for bolted structures, installation is simplified and bolted connections provide the possibility of disassembling the structure with transportation to another place, which is important for hangars, warehouses that change location. Casting of lightweight metal structures can help increase the potential for new and rapid construction. For this, the most suitable method is the Lost Foam Casting (LFC) process in vacuum molds made of loose sand. No other casting method can compete with LFC in the production of frame-bearing structures of complex geometry. Examples of the optimization of metal structures by imitating the structures of nature, in particular biological and DNA structures, as a bionic approach to the design of man-made metal products are considered. Framework and cellular spatial materials obtained by the LFC method expand the existing range of properties compared to compact materials. And the described cast materials based on analogues from the macro- and micro-world of nature and on prefab models will simplify the design and production of frame lightweight products, which are classified as "materials of the future". Ukraine receives metal from its own ores and is able to transform it into a high-tech, knowledge-intensive product in the form of machines, mechanisms and building structures. The technological direction of borrowing the structural properties of natural materials is studied not only for copying them, but also for obtaining new materials and structures with optimization for specific mechanisms or buildings, promoting the use of metal structures as an effective solution in the construction industry during the reconstruction of the country. Keywords: building metal structures, modular structures, modeling, structures of nature, castings

A bionic solution to make cement matrix tough

Toughening of cement matrix without fiber has become a great puzzle to be addressed. Conventional polymer-modification methods show the limited toughening effect and the brittle fracture mode has not been altered. Herein, a nacre-inspired solution is proposed to make cement matrix tough by constructing a special “brick-and-mortar” structure which is applicable for cementitious system, and using two polymers to provide the intrinsic and extrinsic toughening effect, respectively. Non-traditional fabrication methods including shearing, granulation, and hot-pressing are adopted to implement the design. The flexural performance and microstructure of untoughened and differently toughened matrixes are investigated to reveal the toughening mechanisms and prove the effectiveness of the proposed strategy. Compared with the untoughened matrix, the toughened matrix through bionic method demonstrates a graceful ductile fracture, and acheives a 323% toughness enhancement while maintains 90% of flexural strength. This work offers prospects for toughening of cement-based materials via bionic approaches.

КОНЦЕПЦИЯ «УМНОГО НЕФТЕСКЛАДА» НА ОСНОВЕ ТЕХНОЛОГИЙ МАШИННОГО ЗРЕНИЯ

The paper considers and solves the issues of the formation of algorithms and practical methods for the application of machine vision in the concept of a smart oil storage. The resulting technology will significantly increase the autonomy of intelligent algorithms for managing the tank farm and ensure its safe operation. The fundamental principle of the development of the bionic approach in machine vision is the use of artificial neural networks to recognize objects from the received images. The solution to the problem of visual perception with the help of a computer was the development of artificial neural networks and algorithms for their training. To increase the autonomy of intelligent algorithms for managing a tank farm and ensure its safe operation, it is necessary to develop algorithms and practical methods for using machine vision in the framework of an intelligent oil storage unit. The results of measurements of a steel surface horizontal tank by a neural network based on the image from the camera are obtained by spatial transformation of its image and construction of structural elements using the contour segmentation algorithm. The initial representation, from which the mapping is carried out to some final representation, is usually the representation of the image in the form of an array of raw data - a set of results of physical measurements made for some image from the camera. A picture from a camera contains, in terms of computer vision, a set of physical objects or some fragment of the real world, in our case, a ground horizontal cylindrical tank. The smallest image element with such an initial representation is a pixel containing the result of a single measurement of a given physical quantity. The result obtained was: tank height 2.05 m, tank length 3.17 m, diameter 2.25 m. The measurement error in this case is 4.5%.

Novel insights into the unique intrinsic sensing essences of 2D tin chalcogenides for ethanol: From hexagonal SnS2 to orthorhombic SnS

Introducing orthorhombic SnS phase into two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal SnS2 crystal to form in-plane heterojunctions has become a promising approach to facilitate the sensitivity of SnS2 towards trace gases. However, its surface sensitization mechanism remains to be exploited in addition to the heterointerface effect. Hence, to dig into it, we explored the surface adsorption of SnS and SnS2 from unique surface electron configurations by combing experimental, computational and bionic approaches. Taking ethanol vapor as the target gas, orthorhombic SnS shows rapid detection of trace ethanol with a sub-ppm level at room temperature (RT). In contrast, hexagonal SnS2 is more suitable for detecting ethanol vapor with much higher concentrations (above 50 ppm). First-principles calculations and porcupine quill models further reveal that unlike the inactive symmetry of electrons on SnS2 surface, the rotational symmetry breaking of the stereochemically-active SnS surface leads to the oriented rearrangement of its surface electrons, which greatly facilitates the adsorption of trace ethanol molecules on SnS. On these basis, we renew the design concept of SnS–SnS2 in-plane heterostructures. This work reveals the structure-property relationship between the crystalline structures and gas-sensitive characteristics of 2D tin chalcogenides from a brand-new perspective, and helps the design and research of novel lateral heterostructures.

БИОНИЧЕСКИЕ ПОДХОДЫ К РАЗВИТИЮ ТРАНСПОРТНЫХ СИСТЕМ ГОРОДОВ

The modern city is an extremely complex, self-developing organism, trying to make its transport system more sustainable. This becomes even more urgent in a pandemic. Therefore, especially in the largest cities, it is necessary to implement a policy on the bionic development of transport systems and the use of natural approaches to regulating transport demand, increasing the attractiveness of route passenger transport and its design, developing means of individual mobility and non-motorized transport. It should be noted that the problems of the urban transport system are very multifaceted and complex, they require coordination of the efforts of the public and private sectors of the economy, which is very fragmented, with different and conflicting views and goals, reacts sharply to changes in the urban (transport) environment and should be built on the basis of bionic approaches, obvious and understandable, aimed at the sustainable development of the urban transport system and the city as a whole.

Electromechanical wave systems for mineral extraction

The problems of the development of mineral deposits related to the technologies of extraction, transportation and processing of viscous, gaseous and bulk materials, including in mixed fractions, are analysed. To solve the problem of efficient transport technologies, a combination of electromagnetic effects with a bionic approach based on the use of the principles of motion dynamics of dolphins, fish and amphibians with a wave-like swimming method is proposed. The purpose of the study is to develop a structural, object-oriented mathematical model of a channel-type wave electromechanical converter that provides transportation and processing of minerals in liquid, viscous, gaseous and mixed fractions. It is noted that in this case, the existing methods of development and calculation of traditional electric drives are not suitable since the electromagnetic core must have a different spatial arrangement and have a distributed structure, the configuration of which is individual. The construction of a structural bionic model of an electromechanical system is based on the use of a system of travelling wave equations with fixed ends and the principles of the genetic concept in electromechanics. By directional application of genetic and geometric operators to flat and cylindrical forms of electromagnetic field sources, populations of a flow channel and combined structures connected to the ends of a travelling wave are obtained. An object-oriented mathematical model, methodology and algorithm for calculating a multi-motor electromechanical converter integrated into the design of a transport wave system have been developed. The optimal ratios of copper and steel of the electromagnetic core, the geometric dimensions of the flow channel and the number of switched electromagnetic modules providing energetically efficient generation of a travelling wave in the channel are established. The study's theoretical significance lies in the fact that the results obtained can be used in the development of technologies and the design of devices for the transportation and processing of liquid, viscous, gaseous, bulk materials and mixed fractions in the mining industry and in other areas.