Bio-inspired Ultrafast Exoskeletons
The goal of this research thrust is to develop a multi-scale experimental and analytical framework to uncover the material properties and structural mechanics strategies employed by ultra-fast, spring-actuated latch-mediated (LAMSA) biological systems to create adaptive structures for high energy tailoring. We answer the following questions:
Engineering-enabled biology
What are the material properties of the different components and the interfaces between the components of the ultrafast insects’ cuticle?
How do these material properties vary under extreme conditions (temperature, radiation, etc)?
How does vibrational power propagate during highly energetic events in biological systems to harvest and dissipate energy?
Bio-inspired design
How can we combine distributed elasticity and muscle-recruitment principles to create adaptive structures for high power output?
How can we design microscale multi-material structures for vibration control and by leveraging multiple media (solid, liquid)?
To answer these questions, we employ and develop multiple methods and techniques, including:
Experimental
μ-tomograph
scanning electron microscopy
fluorescence microscopy
synchrotron x-ray imaging (Argonne National Lab)
materials characterization and testing
vibration characterization
manufacturing using additive manufacturing
Modeling
composites modeling
finite element analysis
musculoskletal modeling
multi-scale dynamics simulations