Biomechanics in Soft Mechanical Sensing: From Natural Case Studies to the Artificial World

Abstract

Living beings use mechanical interaction with the environment to gather essential cues for implementing necessary movements and actions. This process is mediated by biomechanics, primarily of the sensory structures, meaning that, at first, mechanical stimuli are morphologically computed. In the present paper, we select and review cases of specialized sensory organs for mechanical sensing—from both the animal and plant kingdoms—that distribute their intelligence in both structure and materials. A focus is set on biomechanical aspects, such as morphology and material characteristics of the selected sensory organs, and on how their sensing function is affected by them in natural environments. In this route, examples of artificial sensors that implement these principles are provided, and/or ways in which they can be translated artificially are suggested. Following a biomimetic approach, our aim is to make a step towards creating a toolbox with general tailoring principles, based on mechanical aspects tuned repeatedly in nature, such as orientation, shape, distribution, materials, and micromechanics. These should be used for a future methodical design of novel soft sensing systems for soft robotics.

A Review on Active 3D Microstructures via Direct Laser Lithography

“…Taking inspiration from nature it is possible to understand that the use of multiple materials with different mechanical properties can help to create complex actuation mechanisms in very small volumes. [ 100 ] This can be obtained artificially by fabricating microstructures with DLL using two or more materials in a multimaterial approach. However, mechanical properties of a microstructure also depend on the cross‐linking level of the used photosensitive polymeric material that can be easily modified by varying the laser writing parameters of the applied DLL process.…”

Soft Robotics

“…The review paper by Astreinidi Blandin et al [1] focuses on biomechanical aspects of sensing structures in some animals and plants, such as their structure and materials. The analysis of mechanical aspects includes the orientation of the sensory element, the shape, the distribution, the material properties, and the micromechanics.…”

Magnetic Printing of Liquid Metal for Perceptive Soft Actuators with Embodied Intelligence

“…Biological systems have continuously inspired the design of intelligent robots due to their unique pathways in assembly, self-adaptation, perception, motility, and system integration. , Living organisms embody the seamless integration of mechanical sensing and actuation capabilities in their soft bodies to perceive and respond to changes in the environment or the self. , Inspired by natural intelligence, numerous efforts in the past have been devoted to designing soft actuators with integrated perception capability . Perceptive soft actuators have led to many impressive applications such as wearable rehabilitation devices, haptic interfaces, and robotic surgery. , Despite notable progress, however, it remains a grand challenge to develop highly integrated body functionalities for fully mimicking or rivaling the intelligent and autonomous behaviors as seen in the living organisms, such as the self-regulated actuation in the plant kingdom ( e.g., the autonomous closure of a flytrap to capture prey).…”