Welcome to the Biomimetics Lab!
We look to nature for inspiration.
By reverse engineering biological systems, we aim to learn more about their evolution and diversity and help develop new bio-inspired technologies.
Our aim is to reveal the biomechanical mechanisms underlying form-function relationships in biological organisms, in order to provide a better understanding of their evolution and motivate bio-inspired technical solutions for problems of societal relevance.
We combine experiments, modelling, and anatomical measurements to quantitatively understand underlying biomechanical phenomena. These phenomena inspire biomimetic designs that can be implemented in bio-inspired technologies and provide physical models that contribute to a deeper understanding of the biological systems.
Our experiments include 3D high-speed videography, materials and mechanical testing, tomographic imaging, and microfluidics. We work with live animals, like insects and cuttlefish, and biomimetic models, usually fabricated out of soft materials, like silicone and other elastomers.
Capillary adhesion of stick insects
Scientific progress within the last few decades has revealed the functional morphology of an insect’s sticky footpads—a soft, sponge-like pad that secretes a thin liquid film. However, the physico-chemical mechanisms underlying their adhesion remain elusive.
Cephalopod-inspired suction cups
Cephalopods can attach to their prey quickly and precisely using suction cups, yet the biomechanics underlying their adhesive performance remain unclear. We use biomimetic, soft robotic models to better understand their adhesive properties.
The biomechanics of prey capture and attachment in cephalopods
Cephalopods have received considerable attention in biomimetics research in recent years, due to their unique dexterity and attachment devices. However, most research has thus far focused on octopods, whereas decapod cephalopods (cuttlefish and squids, Cephalopoda: Decapodiformes) have received less attention.
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