Starfish inspires new robotic structure

2 Jul. () –

The starfish skeleton has inspired a new flexible yet resilient transformation structure with promising applications in robotics, aviation and medical technology.

This research is being presented at the Annual Conference of the Society for Experimental Biology in Prague, Tech Explore reports.

“Starfish have the remarkable ability to effortlessly maintain themselves in any body position.” modifying the rigidity of its endoskeleton“says Raman Raman, a PhD student in the Biological Structures and Biomimicry working group at the Hochschule Bremen in Germany.

Ossicles are microstructures of calcite found inside the body of starfish and are networked by collagen fibers to form the endoskeleton. This strong but simple structure allows them to adopt a wide variety of body postures with minimal use of energy.

“We were fascinated by this biological solution to a complex engineering problem.“Raman continues. “Our goal was to unlock the secrets of its intricate skeleton and translate those principles into a new material with equally remarkable properties.”

Raman and his team used a multidisciplinary approach for this project. Using high-resolution X-ray computed tomography, they visualized the skeletal structures of the starfish and used mathematical models (finite element analysis and multibody simulations) to to understand the complex interrelated mechanics of skeletal components.

“For the first time, we can show the complex three-dimensional structure of the starfish skeleton and the fine ultrastructure of the tiny bones,” Raman says. “We have now used this knowledge for the process of biomimetic design of our own changing structure.”incorporating rapid prototyping techniques for its manufacturing.”

Raman and his team have used 3D printing to produce a variety of functional prototypes that can overcome an impressive array of physical challenges. “Our patented starfish-inspired structure exhibits self-locking, continuous bending, self-healing, and shape memory characteristics,” Raman says.

The scalability, low cost, and relative ease of fabrication of this transformable structure provide many opportunities for industrial applications, including robotics, aviation, and biomedical devices such as prosthetics and implants.