Abstract
Plant motion patterns and structures have inspired designers, researchers and engineers for centuries. Recent advancements in analyzing and manufacturing technologies have allowed for a deeper understanding of biological principles and their application to bioinspired engineered systems. This has advanced 3D printing of thermoresponsive materials, like shape memory polymers. These materials enable the translation and creation of complex bioinspired mobile structures. In this study, we use novel 3D printable shape memory polymers in a multi-material, multilayer system to create double curved surfaces that can change their curvature from concave to convex, like the lobes of a Venus flytrap. The artificial trap lobes can be manufactured by identifying suitable material combinations, bonding methods and programming parameters. In this study, the system parameters to achieve a motion and the closing behavior in response to a temperature change are characterized. The resulting trap lobe represents a successful translation of the prestress ratios and layered morphology found in the biological model into an autonomous artificial Venus flytrap.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Meder, F., Armiento, S., Naselli, G.A., et al.: Biohybrid generators based on living plants and artificial leaves: influence of leaf motion and real wind outdoor energy harvesting. Bioinspir. Biomim. 16, 055009 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-3190/ac1711
Mazzolai, B., Laschi, C.: A vision for future bioinspired and biohybrid robots. Sci. Robot. 5 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.aba6893
Mazzolai, B., Laschi, C., Dario, P., et al.: The plant as a biomechatronic system. Plant Sig. Behav. 5, 90–93 (2010). https://doi.org/10.4161/psb.5.2.10457
Sachse, R., Westermeier, A., Mylo, M., et al.: Snapping mechanics of the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 117, 16035–16042 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2002707117
Westermeier, A.S., Sachse, R., Poppinga, S., et al.: How the carnivorous waterwheel plant (Aldrovanda vesiculosa) snaps. Proc. Biol. Sci. 285 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2018.0012
Poppinga, S., Bauer, U., Speck, T., et al.: Motile traps. In: Ellison, A., Adamec, L. (eds.) Carnivorous Plants: Physiology, Ecology, and Evolution, pp. 180–193. Oxford University Press (2018). https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198779841.003.0014
Poppinga, S., Kampowski, T., Metzger, A., et al.: Comparative kinematical analyses of Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) snap traps. Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 7, 664–674 (2016). https://doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.7.59
Poppinga, S., Joyeux, M.: Different mechanics of snap-trapping in the two closely related carnivorous plants Dionaea muscipula and Aldrovanda vesiculosa. Phys. Rev. E 84, 041928–041935 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.84.041928
Forterre, Y., Skotheim, J.M., Dumais, J., et al.: How the Venus flytrap snaps. Nature 433, 421–425 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature03185
Kim, S.-W., Koh, J.-S., Lee, J.-G., et al.: Flytrap-inspired robot using structurally integrated actuation based on bistability and a developable surface. Bioinspir. Biomim. 9, 36004 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-3182/9/3/036004
Zhang, Z., Chen, D., Wu, H., et al.: Non-contact magnetic driving bioinspired Venus flytrap robot based on bistable anti-symmetric CFRP structure. Compos. Struct. 135, 17–22 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2015.09.015
Zhang, Z., Li, X., Yu, X., et al.: Magnetic actuation bionic robotic gripper with bistable morphing structure. Compos. Struct. 229, 111422 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2019.111422
Pal, A., Goswami, D., Martinez, R.V.: Elastic energy storage enables rapid and programmable actuation in soft machines. Adv. Funct. Mater. 30 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201906603
Lunni, D., Cianchetti, M., Filippeschi, C., et al.: Plant‐inspired soft bistable structures based on hygroscopic electrospun nanofibers. Adv. Mater. Interfaces (2020). https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.201901310
Wu, S., Baker, G.L., Yin, J., et al.: Fast thermal actuators for soft robotics. Soft Robot. 9, 1031–1039 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1089/soro.2021.0080
Riley, K.S., Ang, K.J., Martin, K.A., et al.: Encoding multiple permanent shapes in 3D printed structures. Mater. Des. 194, 108888 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2020.108888r
Tauber, F.J., Auth, P., Teichmann, J., et al.: Novel motion sequences in plant-inspired robotics: combining inspirations from snap-trapping in two plant species into an artificial venus flytrap demonstrator. Biomimetics 7, 99 (2022). https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics7030099
Li, W., Matsuhisa, N., Liu, Z., et al.: An on-demand plant-based actuator created using conformable electrodes. Nat. Electron. 4, 134–142 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41928-020-00530-4
Tauber, F.J., et al.: Unit cell based artificial Venus flytrap. In: Hunt, A., et al. (eds.) Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems. Living Machines 2022. LNCS, vol. 13548, pp. 1–12. Springer, Cham (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-20470-8_1
Bothe, M., Pretsch, T.: Two-way shape changes of a shape-memory poly (ester urethane). Macromol. Chem. Phys. 213, 2378–2385 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1002/macp.201200096
Langbein, S., Czechowicz, A.: Formgedächtnistechnik: Entwickeln, Testen und Anwenden, 2nd überarbeitete und erweiterte Auflage. Springer, Wiesbaden (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-17904-5
Chalissery, D., Schönfeld, D., Walter, M., et al.: Fused filament fabrication of actuating objects. Macromol. Mater. Eng. 307, 2200214 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1002/mame.202200214
Sunkara, V., Park, D.-K., Hwang, H., et al.: Simple room temperature bonding of thermoplastics and poly (dimethylsiloxane). Lab Chip 11, 962–965 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1039/c0lc00272k
Carrell, C.S., McCord, C.P., Wydallis, R.M., et al.: Sealing 3D-printed parts to poly (dimethylsiloxane) for simple fabrication of Microfluidic devices. Anal. Chim. Acta 1124, 78–84 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2020.05.014
Esser, F., et al.: Adaptive biomimetic actuator systems reacting to various stimuli by and combining two biological snap-trap mechanics. In: Martinez-Hernandez, U., et al. (eds.) Living Machines 2019. LNCS (LNAI), vol. 11556, pp. 114–121. Springer, Cham (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24741-6_10
Acknowledgement
Funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) under Germany’s Excellence Strategy – EXC-2193/1 – 390951807. We thank the AG Technik of the Institute for Biology 2 of University of Freiburg for the construction of the biaxial stretching device. This work was supported by Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence “Programmable Materials” under PSP elements 40-01922-2500-00002 and 40-03420-2500-00003. T.P. wishes to thank the European Regional Development Fund for financing a large part of the laboratory equipment (project 85007031).We thank Laura Mahoney from the livMatS Writer studio for spellchecking and improving the manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this paper
Cite this paper
Tauber, F.J., Scheckenbach, F., Walter, M., Pretsch, T., Speck, T. (2023). A 3D-Printed Thermoresponsive Artificial Venus Flytrap Lobe Based on a Multilayer of Shape Memory Polymers. In: Meder, F., Hunt, A., Margheri, L., Mura, A., Mazzolai, B. (eds) Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems. Living Machines 2023. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 14157. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38857-6_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38857-6_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-38856-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-38857-6
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)