Welcome to the Biomimetics Lab!
We look to nature for inspiration.
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.
Bio-inspired design and Soft Robotics
Using molding and casting techniques, we aim to create bio-inspired suction cups to better understand their attachment mechanism.
Lab News
Baowen wins JMBC Gallery of Fluid Motion prize
Many congratulations to Baowen Zhang for winning the JMBC Gallery of Fluid Motion prize! Baowen captured high-speed videos of cuttlefish and biomimetic suction cups failing due to the nucleation and growth of air bubbles. The bubbles cause catastrophic leakage that may even damage biological tissues.
Successful 4th International Workshop on Insect Bio-Inspired Technologies
The 4th International Workshop on Insect Bio-Inspired Technologies took place on 19-20 May 2025 with great success! The workshop featured 15 invited speakers, 2 keynote lectures, and 5 talks and 16 posters from junior researchers (PhDs and postdocs). We look forward to the next workshop at Dresden in 2027!
Mila wins 2nd place poster prize at NWO Life 2025
On 28 May 2025, Mila Krikke (BSc student) won the 2nd place poster prize at the NWO Life conference! Mila developed a new polymer material to simulate animal tissue, and obtained the first in vivo evidence of the sucker ring teeth of cuttlefish penetrating tissue during tentacle strikes.
Severin wins the Art of Life Visualization prize at NWO Life 2024
Many congratulations to Severin te Lindert for winning the Art of Life Visualization prize at NWO Life 2024! Severin captured a beautiful 3D picture of the microstructures on the rim of a cuttlefish sucker using scanning electron microscopy.
Alex wins 2nd place poster prize at NWO Life 2024
On 23 May 2024, Alexander Koehnsen won the 2nd place poster prize at the NWO Life conference! Alex presented on the new experimental setup he developed to study the tentacle strikes of cuttlefish using high-speed videography.
4th International Workshop on Insect Bio-Inspired Technologies
We are pleased to announce the 4th International Workshop on Insect Bio-Inspired Technologies being hosted in Wageningen, NL on 19-20 May 2025! Please check this website for more information, registration, and abstract submission (oral presentation or poster): https://insect-bioinspired-wageningen-2025.org/ Students (BSc and MSc) can attend for free! Please contact me if…
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