Embedded Mechanical Sensors in Artificial and Biological Systems

Calvert, Paul

doi:10.1007/978-3-7091-6025-1_25

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 74 publications

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“…Unravelling the structural arrangement in such specialized biological structures may provide new construction principles for the design of new types of embedded artificial microsensors and microactuators for a broad range of applications [43]. Such bioinspired embedded sensors might be of interest for micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and Bio-MEMS technologies, for micro-and nanorobotics, vibration control and sensing fabrics [23,44,45].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Micro- and nano-structural details of a spider's filter for substrate vibrations: relevance for low-frequency signal transmission

Erko

Younes‐Metzler

Rack

et al. 2015

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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The metatarsal lyriform organ of the Central American wandering spider Cupiennius salei is its most sensitive vibration detector. It is able to sense a wide range of vibration stimuli over four orders of magnitude in frequency between at least as low as 0.1 Hz and several kilohertz. Transmission of the vibrations to the slit organ is controlled by a cuticular pad in front of it. While the mechanism of high-frequency stimulus transfer (above ca 40 Hz) is well understood and related to the viscoelastic properties of the pad's epicuticle, it is not yet clear how low-frequency stimuli (less than 40 Hz) are transmitted. Here, we study how the pad material affects the pad's mechanical properties and thus its role in the transfer of the stimulus, using a variety of experimental techniques, such as X-ray micro-computed tomography for three-dimensional imaging, X-ray scattering for structural analysis, and atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy for surface imaging. The mechanical properties were investigated using scanning acoustic microscopy and nanoindentation. We show that large tarsal deflections cause large deformation in the distal highly hydrated part of the pad. Beyond this region, a sclerotized region serves as a supporting frame which resists the deformation and is displaced to push against the slits, with displacement values considerably scaled down to only a few micrometres. Unravelling the structural arrangement in such specialized structures may provide conceptual ideas for the design of new materials capable of controlling a technical sensor's specificity and selectivity, which is so typical of biological sensors.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Micro- and nano-structural details of a spider's filter for substrate vibrations: relevance for low-frequency signal transmission

Erko

Younes‐Metzler

Rack

et al. 2015

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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“…Mechanical sensors are garnering relevance in biomedical engineering due to their ability to detect and measure mechanical forces and deformations in biological systems, biomedical models, and biometrical devices (24)(25)(26). A mechanical sensor embedded into fragile bio-systems and combined with simple readout methods would allow us to monitor the structural stresses, control the motion, and understand tissue repair and formation processes (27,28). However, for use in bioengineering applications, the component materials, designs, and manufacturing approaches of mechanical sensors have to be optimized to improve the performance of the sensors (i.e., sensitivity, durability) within biological environments that feature complex architectures, soft materials, liquid milieu, and activity of living systems (i.e., cells) (29,30).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrated Closed-loop Control of Bio-actuation for Proprioceptive Bio-hybrid Robots

Filippi,

Balciunaite,

Georgopoulou

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Biohybrid robots are emergent soft robots that combine engineered artificial structures and living biosystems to exploit unique characteristics of biological cells and tissues. Skeletal muscle tissue-based bio-actuators can respond to externally applied stimuli, such as electrical fields. However, current bio-actuation systems rely on open-loop control strategies that lack knowledge of the actuator’s state. The regulation of output force and position of bio-hybrid robots requires self-sensing control systems that combine bio-actuators with sensors and control paradigms. Here, we propose a soft, fiber-shaped mechanical sensor based on a composite with piezoresistive properties that efficiently integrates with engineered skeletal muscle tissue and senses its contracting states in a cell culture environment in the presence of applied electrical fields. After testing the sensor’s insulation and biocompatibility, we characterized its sensitivity for typical strains (<1%) and proved its ability to detect motions from contractile skeletal muscle tissue constructs. Finally, we showed that the sensor response can feed an autonomous control system, thus demonstrating the first proprioceptive bio-hybrid robot that can sense and respond to its contraction state. In addition to inspiring intelligent implantable systems, informative biomedical models, and other bioelectronic systems, the proposed technology will encourage strategies to exceed the durability, design, and portability limitations of biohybrid robots and confer them decisional autonomy, thus driving the paradigm shift between bio-actuators and intelligent bio-hybrid robots.One Sentence SummaryIntegrating soft mechanical sensors into engineered skeletal muscle tissue enables bio-hybrid robots with proprioception.

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“…Because of this behavior, these slit sensory systems as well as their insect analogues, the campaniform sensilla, have become particularly interesting as models of biomimetic and bioinspired mechanosensors. There have been recently proposed uses of such bioinspired devices serving as embeddable, tunable strain sensors for space exploration applications and for easily created strain sensing in flexible electronics [19,20,21,22,23,24]. However, to better understand how these organs can be applied to solve prospective problems, a fundamental understanding of their materials properties is still required.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Micromechanical properties of strain-sensitive lyriform organs of a wandering spider (Cupiennius salei)

et al. 2016

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Highly sensitive lyriform organs located on the legs of the wandering spider Cupiennius salei allow the spider to detect nanometer-scale strains in the exoskeleton resulting from locomotion or substrate vibrations. Morphological features of the lyriform organs result in their specialization and selective sensitivity to specific mechanical stimuli, which make them an interesting for bioinspired strain sensors. Here we utilize atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based force spectroscopy to probe nano-scale mechanical properties of the covering membrane of two lyriform organs found on Cupiennius salei: the vibration sensitive metatarsal lyriform organ (HS10) and the proprioreceptive tibial lyriform organ (HS8). Force distance curves (FDCs) obtained from AFM measurements displayed characteristic multi-layer structure behavior, with calculated elastic moduli ranging from 150MPa to 500MPa for different regions and indentation depths. The viscoelastic behavior of the sensor materials observed in this probing suggests mechanical relaxation times playing a role in the time-dependent behavior of the lyriform organs.

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Embedded Mechanical Sensors in Artificial and Biological Systems

Cited by 4 publications

References 74 publications

Micro- and nano-structural details of a spider's filter for substrate vibrations: relevance for low-frequency signal transmission

Micro- and nano-structural details of a spider's filter for substrate vibrations: relevance for low-frequency signal transmission

Integrated Closed-loop Control of Bio-actuation for Proprioceptive Bio-hybrid Robots

Micromechanical properties of strain-sensitive lyriform organs of a wandering spider (Cupiennius salei)

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