Field Of Biomimetics Research Articles

Biomimetic tools: insights and implications of a comprehensive analysis and classification.

Biomimetics as the transdisciplinary field leveraging biologically inspired solutions for technical and practical challenges has gained traction in recent decades. Despite its potential for innovation, the complexity of its process requires a deeper understanding of underlying tasks, leading to the development of various tools to aid this process. This study identified an inventory of 104 tools used in biomimetics, of which 24 have been classified as fully accessible, functional, and ready-to-use biomimetic tools. Additionally, it provides definitions and evaluation criteria for biomimetic tools, offering a structured approach to tool assessment. The 24 tools have been assessed based on ten criteria in a qualitative and quantitative analysis yielding an overview of their typology, accessibility, stage of development, and other key characteristics. Patterns of the typology development of tools over time revealed a trend towards integrating computational methods and artificial intelligence, thereby enhancing the tool's functionality and user engagement. However, gaps in tool functionality and maturity, such as the lack of tools designed to support technical processes, the absence of tools tailored for solution-based approaches, and insufficient evidence of successful tool application, highlight areas for future research. The study results underscore the need for empirical validation of tools and research into the effectiveness of holistic tools covering multiple stages of the biomimetic process. By addressing these gaps and leveraging existing strengths, the field of biomimetics can continue to advance, providing innovative solutions inspired by biological models.

The Development and Prospect of Micro Air Vehicles

This paper systematically reviews the evolution of Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) aerofoil design, covering the geometric optimization and development from fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and flapping-wing to biomimetic-wing designs. In low Reynolds number environments, there are four main types of fixed-wing aerofoils, considered the classic designs for MAVs and have significantly contributed to the future development of MAV aerofoils. Rotary-wing and flapping-wing MAVs represent the initial application of bionics in aerofoil design. At the same time, the lift mechanisms discovered in insects and birds have since officially introduced MAV aerofoil design into the field of biomimetics. By integrating the locomotion mechanisms of animals such as stingrays and beetles, current research on biomimetic aerofoils has developed deployable and multi-parameter morphing wings Meanwhile, through the fusion of new and traditional technologies, the lift-to-drag ratio and flight efficiency are significantly improved. Finally, the paper summarizes the research methods and future directions of MAV aerofoil design, pointing out that the aerodynamic principles at low Reynolds numbers and the bionic kinematic principles of animals are the current research bottlenecks. These challenges can be addressed through cross-disciplinary research and further experimental validation to optimize MAV aerofoil designs.

Double Attention: An Optimization Method for the Self-Attention Mechanism Based on Human Attention.

Artificial intelligence, with its remarkable adaptability, has gradually integrated into daily life. The emergence of the self-attention mechanism has propelled the Transformer architecture into diverse fields, including a role as an efficient and precise diagnostic and predictive tool in medicine. To enhance accuracy, we propose the Double-Attention (DA) method, which improves the neural network's biomimetic performance of human attention. By incorporating matrices generated from shifted images into the self-attention mechanism, the network gains the ability to preemptively acquire information from surrounding regions. Experimental results demonstrate the superior performance of our approaches across various benchmark datasets, validating their effectiveness. Furthermore, the method was applied to patient kidney datasets collected from hospitals for diabetes diagnosis, where they achieved high accuracy with significantly reduced computational demands. This advancement showcases the potential of our methods in the field of biomimetics, aligning well with the goals of developing innovative bioinspired diagnostic tools.

Soft Artificial Muscle of Poly(vinyl chloride) Gel with an Imperceptible Liquid Metal Electrode.

Electrodes with high electrical conductivity, yet good flexibility and mechanical compliance, are critical for electroactive artificial muscles. Herein, a promising liquid metal (LM) electrode is proposed by transforming eutectic gallium-indium (EGaIn) LM with high surface tension into paste-like LM with solid Ga2O3 shells. The developed compliant LM electrode not only shows high conductivity and negligible additional stiffness but also displays excellent electrical stability during cyclic actuation. Based on the LM electrode, the poly(vinyl chloride) gel (PVCG) artificial muscle developed exhibits the maximum actuation strain of 18.7% at a low electric field strength of 9 V μm-1 and maintains excellent durability without obvious performance attenuation after 10,000 s. A comparison shows that the as-developed PVCG artificial muscle is superior over that based on widely used carbon electrodes. Moreover, an artificial upper limb and crawling worm were manufactured to explore the great potential of PVCG artificial muscle in the robotic field. In addition, the practical application demonstration of the PVCG artificial muscle in the biomimetics field is also successfully fulfilled through the design of reasonable structures. Due to its easy fabrication, excellent electrical conductivity, and high mechanical compliance, the newly developed LM electrode is promising for high-performance PVCG artificial muscles in bionic robots.

Shrinkable muscular crystal with chemical logic gates driven by external ion environment

Biomimetic chemical logic gates that can reversibly transform their shape and physical properties in response to their environment are an important research field. Most artificial chemical logic gates, however, rely on changes in the microscopic properties of molecules and ions in solution. Hence, developing chemical logic gates that influence macroscopic properties, such as crystal structures and magnetic and electrical properties, is essential for mimicking in vivo phenomena more accurately. Here, we develop a reset-set flip-flop circuit based on a single crystal that reversibly transforms in the presence of Ca2+ ions in aqueous solutions and is analogous to the chemical logic gate in muscles. During the crystal transformation, the lattice volume undergoes ~39% shrinkage, and the magnetic and electrical properties change considerably. Compared with existing products, the constructed crystalline system more closely resembles the function of actual muscles, which is promising for advancing the field of biomimetics.

The Impact of 3D Printing Technology on the Improvement of External Wall Thermal Efficiency—An Experimental Study

Three-dimensional printing technology continues to evolve, enabling new applications in manufacturing. Extensive research in the field of biomimetics underscores the significant impact of the internal geometry of building envelopes on their thermal performance. Although 3D printing holds great promise for improving thermal efficiency in construction, its full potential has yet to be realized, and the thermal performance of printed building components remains unexplored. The aim of this paper is to experimentally examine the thermal insulation characteristics of prototype cellular materials created using 3D additive manufacturing technologies (SLS and DLP). This study concentrates on exploring advanced thermal insulation solutions that could enhance the energy efficiency of buildings, cooling systems, appliances, or equipment. To this end, virtual models of sandwich composites with an open-cell foam core modeled after a Kelvin cell were created. They were characterized by a constant porosity of 0.95 and a pore diameter of the inner core of the composites of 6 mm. The independent variables included the different material from which the composites were made, the non-uniform number of layers in the composite (one, two, three, and five layers) and the total thickness of the composite (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 mm). The impact of three independent parameters defining the prototype composite on its thermal insulation properties was assessed, including the heat flux (q) and the heat transfer coefficient (U). According to the experimental tests, a five-layer composite with a thickness of 100 mm made of soybean oil-based resin obtained the lowest coefficient with a value of U = 0.147 W/m2·K.

On the fluid drag reduction in scallop surface.

In the field of biomimetics, the tiny riblet structures inspired by shark skin have been extensively studied for their drag reduction properties in turbulent flows. Here, we show that the ridged surface texture of another swimming creature in the ocean, i.e., the scallops, also has some friction drag reduction effect. In this study, we investigated the potential drag reduction effects of scallop shell textures using computational fluid dynamics simulations. Specifically, we constructed a conceptual model featuring an undulating surface pattern on a conical shell geometry that mimics scallop. Simulations modeled turbulent fluid flows over the model inserted at different orientations relative to the flow direction. The results demonstrate appreciable friction drag reduction generated by the ribbed hierarchical structures encasing the scallop, while partial pressure drag reduction exhibits dependence on alignment of scallop to the predominant flow direction. Theoretical mechanisms based on classic drag reduction theory in turbulence was established to explain the drag reduction phenomena. Given the analogous working environments of scallops and seafaring vessels, these findings may shed light on the biomimetic design of surface textures to enhance maritime engineering applications. Besides, this work elucidates an additional evolutionary example of fluid drag reduction, expanding the biological repertoire of swimming species.

Hydrogels for Lubrication: Synthesis, Properties, Mechanism, and Challenges

Hydrogels have received extensive attention as functional lubricants because of their excellent anti-friction and anti-wear properties, tunable tribological performances, and effectiveness in alleviating lubrication failures caused by the creeping or leakage of conventional liquid lubricants owing to their semi-solid nature. This review summarizes the current research advances in hydrogel lubricants fabricated with various organic and/or inorganic gelators, including organic polymeric or supramolecular hydrogels, inorganic particles-based hydrogels, and organic polymer-inorganic particle hybrid hydrogels. We illustrate not only the design strategies for constructing high-performance hydrogel lubricants but also the tribological behavior and mechanism of different types of hydrogel lubricants and their potential applications in industrial and biomimetic fields. Corresponding outlooks and suggestions for future studies have also been proposed.

Multiscale Characterization and Biomimetic Design of Porcupine Quills for Enhanced Mechanical Performance.

The mechanical properties of porcupine quills have attracted the interest of researchers due to their unique structure and composition. However, there is still a knowledge gap in understanding how these properties can be utilized to design biomimetic structures with enhanced performance. This study delves into the nanomechanical and macro-mechanical properties of porcupine quills, unveiling varied elastic moduli across different regions and cross sections. The results indicated that the elastic moduli of the upper and lower epidermis were higher at 8.13 ± 0.05 GPa and 7.71 ± 0.14 GPa, respectively, compared to other regions. In contrast, the elastic modulus of the mid-dermis of the quill mid-section was measured to be 7.16 ± 0.10 GPa. Based on the micro- and macro-structural analysis of porcupine quills, which revealed distinct variations in elastic moduli across different regions and cross sections, various biomimetic porous structures (BPSs) were designed. These BPSs were inspired by the unique properties of the quills and aimed to replicate and enhance their mechanical characteristics in engineering applications. Compression, torsion, and impact tests illustrated the efficacy of structures with filled hexagons and circles in improving performance. This study showed enhancements in maximum torsional load and crashworthiness with an increase in filled structures. Particularly noteworthy was the biomimetic porous circular structure 3 (BPCS_3), which displayed exceptional achievements in average energy absorption (28.37 J) and specific energy absorption (919.82 J/kg). Finally, a response surface-based optimization method is proposed to enhance the design of the structure under combined compression-torsion loads, with the goal of reducing mass and deformation. This research contributes to the field of biomimetics by exploring the potential applications of porcupine quill-inspired structures in fields such as robotics, drive shafts, and aerospace engineering.

Revisiting 310-helices: biological relevance, mimetics and applications

310-Helices represent the third most abundant secondary structure proteins. Although understandably overshadowed by α-helices for decades, the 310-helix structure is slowly regaining certain relevance in protein science. The key role of this secondary structure in biological processes has been highlighted in reports over the last decade. In addition, 310-helices are considered key intermediates in protein folding as well as a crucial structure for the antimicrobial activity of naturally occurring peptaibols. Thus, it is clear that 310-helices are relevant scaffolds to take into consideration in the field of biomimetics. In this context, this review covers the strategies developed to stabilize the 310-helix structure in peptide chains, from the incorporation of constrained amino acids to stapling methodologies. In the last section, the use of 310-helices as scaffolds of interest in the development of bioactive compounds, catalysts for enantioselective reactions, supramolecular receptors, and membrane-embedded signal transducers are discussed. The present work aims to highlight the relevance, sometimes underestimated, of 310-helices in chemical biology and protein science, providing the tools to develop functional biomimetics with a wide range of potential applications.

A density functional theory analysis of the C-H activation reactivity of iron(IV)-oxo complexes with an 'O' substituted tetramethylcyclam macrocycle.

In this article, we present a meticulous computational study to foresee the effect of an oxygen-rich macrocycle on the reactivity for C-H activation. For this study, a widely studied nonheme Fe(IV)O molecule with a TMC (1,4,8,11-tetramethyl 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) macrocycle that is equatorially attached to four nitrogen atoms (designated as N4) and acetonitrile as an axial ligand has been taken into account. For the goal of hetero-substitution, step-by-step replacement of the N4 framework with O atoms, i.e., N4, N3O1, N2O2, N1O3, and O4 systems, has been considered, and dihydroanthracene (DHA) has been used as the substrate. In order to neutralise the system and prevent the self-interaction error in DFT, triflate counterions have also been included in the calculations. The study of the energetics of these C-H bond activation reactions and the potential energy surfaces mapped therefore reveal that the initial hydrogen abstraction, which is the rate-determining step, follows the two-state reactivity (TSR) pattern, which means that the originally excited quintet state falls lower in the transition state and the product. The reaction follows the hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) mechanism, as indicated by the spin density studies. The results revealed a fascinating reactivity order, in which the reactivity increases with the enrichment of the oxygen atom in the equatorial position, namely the order follows N4 < N3O1 < N2O2 < N1O3 < O4. The impacts of oxygen substitution on quantum mechanical tunneling and the H/D kinetic isotope effect have also been investigated. When analysing the causes of this reactivity pattern, a number of variables have been identified, including the reactant-like transition structure, spin density distribution, distortion energy, and energies of the electron acceptor orbital, i.e., the energy of the LUMO (σ*z2), which validate the obtained outcome. Our results also show very good agreement with earlier combined experimental and theoretical studies considering TMC and TMCO-type complexes. The DFT predictions reported here will undoubtedly encourage experimental research in this biomimetic field, as they provide an alternative with higher reactivity in which heteroatoms can be substituted for the traditional nitrogen atom.

Effect of Surface Roughness of Pistia Leaves Inspired Surfaces on Oil Contact Angle and Coefficient of Friction under Lubricated Condition

Biomimetics field is getting more interest in engineering purposes. The plant surface roughness existing in nature such as in leaves can be mimicked into artificial technologies. Basically, the surface structures have micro and nano scales in nature and possess properties of interest. Pistia leaves for example have intrinsic of tribology application which have rarely explored. In this study, a preliminary work on 3 types of Pistia leaves inspired surface-based polymer have been conducted to look at effect of surface roughness towards contact angle (CA) measurements and coefficient of friction (COF) under lubricated condition. The surface characteristics were also examined using Variable Pressure Scanning Electron Microscope (VP-SEM). Two different oils namely palm oil and palm oil + TiO2 were tested on the Pistia leaves inspired surface to measure the CA and COF. It was found that both types of palm oils had distinct CA values and COF towards surface roughness of the Pistia inspired surfaces. A maximum difference of CA and COF were recorded in CA and COF values. The different nanocomposite of Pistia leaves inspired surface were found to affect for both parameters CA and COF under lubricated condition.

Soft Finger Rehabilitation Exoskeleton of Biomimetic Dragonfly Abdominal Ventral Muscles: Center Tendon Pneumatic Bellows Actuator.

The development of soft robotics owes much to the field of biomimetics, where soft actuators predominantly mimic the movement found in nature. In contrast to their rigid counterparts, soft robots offer superior safety and human-machine interaction comfort, particularly in medical applications. However, when it comes to the hand rehabilitation exoskeletons, the soft devices have been limited by size and material constraints, unable to provide sufficient tensile strength for patients with high muscle tension. In this paper, we drew inspiration from the muscle structure found in the tail of dragonflies and designed a novel central tendon-based bellows actuator. The experimental results demonstrated that the central tendon-based bellows actuator significantly outperforms conventional pneumatic bellows actuators in terms of mechanical output. The tensile strength of the central tendon-based bellows actuator exceeded that of pneumatic actuators more than tenfold, while adding only 2 g to the wearable weight. This finding suggests that the central tendon-based bellows actuator is exceptionally well-suited for applications demanding substantial pulling force, such as in the field of exoskeleton robotics. With tensile strength exceeding that of pneumatic bellows actuators, this biomimetic design opens new avenues for safer and more effective human-machine interaction, revolutionizing various sectors from healthcare to industrial automation.

Statistical Study of Low-Intensity Single-Molecule Recognition Events Using DeepTipTM Probes: Application to the Pru p 3-Phytosphingosine System.

The interaction between the plant lipid transfer protein Pru p 3 and phytosphingosine was assessed using an atomic force microscope. Phytosphingosine was covalently immobilized on DeepTipTM probes and Pru p 3 on MicroDeckTM functionalized substrates. Single-molecular interaction events between both molecules were retrieved and classified and the distribution for each one of the identified types was calculated. A success rate of over 70% was found by comparing the number of specific Pru p 3-phytosphingosine interaction events with the total number of recorded curves. The analysis of the distribution established among the various types of curves was further pursued to distinguish between those curves that can mainly be used for assessing the recognition between phytosphingosine (sensor molecule) and Pru p 3 (target molecule) in the context of affinity atomic force microscopy, and those that entail details of the interaction and might be employed in the context of force spectroscopy. The successful application of these functionalized probes and substrates to the characterization of the low-intensity hydrophobic interaction characteristic of this system is a clear indication of the potential of exploiting this approach with an extremely wide range of different biological molecules of interest. The possibility of characterizing molecular assembly events with single-molecule resolution offers an advantageous procedure to plough into the field of molecular biomimetics.

Catalytic Degradation of Triphenylmethane Dyes with an Iron Porphyrin Complex as a Cytochrome P450 Model.

The organic dyes used in printing and dyeing wastewater have complex components, diverse structures and strong chemical stability, which make them not suitable for treatment and difficult to degrade in the environment. Porphyrins are macromolecules with 18 π electrons formed by four pyrrole molecules connected with a methylene bridge that has a stable structure. Porphyrin combines with iron to form an active intermediate with a structure similar to the cytochrome P450 enzyme, so they are widely used in the biomimetic field. In the current study, 5,10,15,20-tetra (4-carboxyphenyl) porphine ferric chloride (III) (Fe(III)TCPP) was used as a catalyst and iodosobenzene was used as an oxidant to explore the catalytic degradation of triphenylmethane dyes, such as rhodamine B (RhB) and malachite green (MG). The results of UV-Vis spectral analysis have shown that the conversion rate of the rhodamine B was over 90% when the amount of Fe(III)TCPP was 0.027 mM and the amount of iodosobenzene was eight equivalents. When the catalyst was 0.00681 mM and the amount of the oxidant was five equivalents, the conversion rate of the malachite green reached over 95%. This work provides a feasible method for the degradation of triphenylmethane dyes.

Towards Living Machines: current and future trends of tactile sensing, grasping, and social robotics

The development of future technologies can be highly influenced by our deeper understanding of the principles that underlie living organisms. The Living Machines conference aims at presenting (among others) the interdisciplinary work of behaving systems based on such principles. Celebrating the 10 years of the conference, we present the progress and future challenges of some of the key themes presented in the robotics workshop of the Living Machines conference. More specifically, in this perspective paper, we focus on the advances in the field of biomimetics and robotics for the creation of artificial systems that can robustly interact with their environment, ranging from tactile sensing, grasping, and manipulation to the creation of psychologically plausible agents.

Advances in the Fabrication and Characterization of Superhydrophobic Surfaces Inspired by the Lotus Leaf.

Nature has proven to be a valuable resource in inspiring the development of novel technologies. The field of biomimetics emerged centuries ago as scientists sought to understand the fundamental science behind the extraordinary properties of organisms in nature and applied the new science to mimic a desired property using various materials. Through evolution, living organisms have developed specialized surface coatings and chemistries with extraordinary properties such as the superhydrophobicity, which has been exploited to maintain structural integrity and for survival in harsh environments. The Lotus leaf is one of many examples which has inspired the fabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces. In this review, the fundamental science, supported by rigorous derivations from a thermodynamic perspective, is presented to explain the origin of superhydrophobicity. Based on theory, the interplay between surface morphology and chemistry is shown to influence surface wetting properties of materials. Various fabrication techniques to create superhydrophobic surfaces are also presented along with the corresponding advantages and/or disadvantages. Recent advances in the characterization techniques used to quantify the superhydrophobicity of surfaces is presented with respect to accuracy and sensitivity of the measurements. Challenges associated with the fabrication and characterization of superhydrophobic surfaces are also discussed.

Convergent Evolution of Adhesive Properties in Leaf Insect Eggs and Plant Seeds: Cross-Kingdom Bioinspiration.

Plants and animals are often used as a source for inspiration in biomimetic engineering. However, stronger engagement of biologists is often required in the field of biomimetics. The actual strength of using biological systems as a source of inspiration for human problem solving does not lie in a perfect copy of a single system but in the extraction of core principles from similarly functioning systems that have convergently solved the same problem in their evolution. Adhesive systems are an example of such convergent traits that independently evolved in different organisms. We herein compare two analogous adhesive systems, one from plants seeds and one from insect eggs, to test their properties and functional principles for differences and similarities in order to evaluate the input that can be potentially used for biomimetics. Although strikingly similar, the eggs of the leaf insect Phyllium philippinicum and the seeds of the ivy gourd Coccinia grandis make use of different surface structures for the generation of adhesion. Both employ a water-soluble glue that is spread on the surface via reinforcing fibrous surface structures, but the morphology of these structures is different. In addition to microscopic analysis of the two adhesive systems, we mechanically measured the actual adhesion generated by both systems to quantitatively compare their functional differences on various standardized substrates. We found that seeds can generate much stronger adhesion in some cases but overall provided less reliable adherence in comparison to eggs. Furthermore, eggs performed better regarding repetitive attachment. The similarities of these systems, and their differences resulting from their different purposes and different structural/chemical features, can be informative for engineers working on technical adhesive systems.

A forgotten element of the blue economy: marine biomimetics and inspiration from the deep sea.

The morphology, physiology, and behavior of marine organisms have been a valuable source of inspiration for solving conceptual and design problems. Here, we introduce this rich and rapidly expanding field of marine biomimetics, and identify it as a poorly articulated and often overlooked element of the ocean economy associated with substantial monetary benefits. We showcase innovations across seven broad categories of marine biomimetic design (adhesion, antifouling, armor, buoyancy, movement, sensory, stealth), and use this framing as context for a closer consideration of the increasingly frequent focus on deep-sea life as an inspiration for biomimetic design. We contend that marine biomimetics is not only a "forgotten" sector of the ocean economy, but has the potential to drive appreciation of nonmonetary values, conservation, and stewardship, making it well-aligned with notions of a sustainable blue economy. We note, however, that the highest ambitions for a blue economy are that it not only drives sustainability, but also greater equity and inclusivity, and conclude by articulating challenges and considerations for bringing marine biomimetics onto this trajectory.

The Interplay of Biomimetics and Biomechatronics.

Biomechatronics is an engineering subject in which biomimetics as a method is one of its two supporting pillars: biology for engineering, or Bio4Eng. This is contrasted with biocompatible design, or Eng4Bio, examples of which are human-serving systems, such as exoskeletons, and biomedical engineering. The paper aims to illustrate that the research fields of biomimetics, biomechatronics, and biomedical engineering are not in competition but mutually supportive. The current attempts to place biomechatronics under the umbrella of biomimetics or biomedical engineering are therefore not expedient; they deprive the subject of its strength of combining Bio4Eng and Eng4Bio at any time in a task-related manner. In addition to research and development, however, the training of the specialists supporting the subjects must not be disregarded and is therefore described based on a proven design.