Steve Cho, Kevin Hu WF Green Research Proposal: Difference between revisions
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Biomimicry | Biomimicry | ||
Brief project overview | |||
- mimicking Hercules beetle to develop stronger machines capable of lifting and carrying | - mimicking the Hercules beetle to develop stronger machines capable of lifting and carrying heavier loads than current machines | ||
Background information | |||
- the Hercules beetle possesses exceptional strength, even for an insect | - the Hercules beetle possesses exceptional strength, even for an insect | ||
- can lift 100+ X bodyweight | - they can lift 100+ X bodyweight | ||
- | - able to walk with 40X bodyweight without expending much more energy than normal | ||
Research problem and goals | |||
- current machines don’t even approach the strength of ants, much less the | - current machines don’t even approach the strength of ants, much less the Hercules beetle | ||
- obviously, the whole size-scale thing plays a role, but it is still worth looking into why the H beetle is much stronger than other similarly sized or even smaller insects | - obviously, the whole size-scale thing plays a role, but it is still worth looking into why the H beetle is much stronger than other similarly sized or even smaller insects | ||
- there | - there should be something special about the way the Hercules beetle is built that gives it its strength | ||
- utilizing this could lead to | - utilizing this could lead to stronger and more efficient machinery for humans, potentially with small-scale design and potential scaleup | ||
Project details and methods | |||
- detailed full body scan of | - detailed full body scan of Hercules beetle and then use computer simulations to find points of stress under various loads and how the beetle compensates for those stresses | ||
- take live specimens and observe them under real life loads | - take live specimens and observe them under real life loads to verify simulations, potentially with mechano-sensing proteins | ||
- make machines based on what we find to replicate the strength and see how | - make machines based on what we find to replicate the strength and see how they compare to similar sized machines based on traditional technology | ||
Predicted outcomes | |||
- if everything goes well: capable of large construction machines that can lift more than currently available | - if everything goes well: capable of large construction machines that can lift significantly more than currently available, or manufacturing biomechanical limbs and armor suits capable of granting immense strength to wearers | ||
- if nothing does: need to come up with a different way to mimic these beetles because it is definitely worth pursuing | - if nothing does: need to come up with a different way to mimic these beetles because it is definitely worth pursuing | ||
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- scanner machines, detailed | - scanner machines, detailed observation equipment to identify the structure behind the Hercules beetle's function | ||
- beetles | - beetles | ||
- other insects and small-scale machines for comparison | - other insects and small-scale machines for comparison | ||
- powerful computers for in silico stress loading | |||
Revision as of 14:34, 7 May 2013
Biomimicry
Brief project overview
- mimicking the Hercules beetle to develop stronger machines capable of lifting and carrying heavier loads than current machines
Background information
- the Hercules beetle possesses exceptional strength, even for an insect
- they can lift 100+ X bodyweight
- able to walk with 40X bodyweight without expending much more energy than normal
Research problem and goals
- current machines don’t even approach the strength of ants, much less the Hercules beetle
- obviously, the whole size-scale thing plays a role, but it is still worth looking into why the H beetle is much stronger than other similarly sized or even smaller insects
- there should be something special about the way the Hercules beetle is built that gives it its strength
- utilizing this could lead to stronger and more efficient machinery for humans, potentially with small-scale design and potential scaleup
Project details and methods
- detailed full body scan of Hercules beetle and then use computer simulations to find points of stress under various loads and how the beetle compensates for those stresses
- take live specimens and observe them under real life loads to verify simulations, potentially with mechano-sensing proteins
- make machines based on what we find to replicate the strength and see how they compare to similar sized machines based on traditional technology
Predicted outcomes
- if everything goes well: capable of large construction machines that can lift significantly more than currently available, or manufacturing biomechanical limbs and armor suits capable of granting immense strength to wearers
- if nothing does: need to come up with a different way to mimic these beetles because it is definitely worth pursuing
needed resources to complete the work
- scanner machines, detailed observation equipment to identify the structure behind the Hercules beetle's function
- beetles
- other insects and small-scale machines for comparison
- powerful computers for in silico stress loading
