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Comparative Biomechanics & Haptics

Hand Feeding Elephant

Elephant Trunks

Image by Diane Picchiottino

Octopus Arms

Reptile Still

Mammailian Tongues

In 1985 Bill Kier coined the term muscular hydrostats. Describing appendages that are purely muscular that are capable of elongation, shortening, bending, and torsion all while maintaining conservation of volume

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Muscular hydrostats are ideal for bio-inspired design for new and advanced soft robotics. Robots that contain no hard joints or parts (just like the elephant doesn't have joints or bones inside the trunk)

I'm currently working on several different projects focused on the mechanics and materials of the elephant trunk that allow it to accomplish remarkable tasks while only using muscles! See more in the links below

Asymmetric Elephant Elongation

Elephant trunks are one of the three main examples of muscular hydrostats along with octopus arms and mammalian tongues. They are the construction cranes of the animal kingdom with the ability to push over 400 kg trees, but also have the precision to pick up a tortilla chip without breaking it. This makes the elephant trunk an ideal bio-inspiration for a new type of soft robot mimicking the unmatched strength and flexibility the elephant is able to do. 

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Suction Feeding of Elephants

Elephant trunks are unique compared to the other muscular hydrostats as they contain two nasal passageways running the span of the elephant trunk. These passageways allow the elephant to use their trunk as a snorkel when traversing deep water. They also provide support for the elephant to suction water and food into their trunk using a vacuum seal from a muscle and cartilage mechanism in their head giving them the ability to close off their trunk so water does not impact their breathing. 

Power Lifting Elephants

Elephant trunks are one of the three main examples of muscular hydrostats along with octopus arms and mammalian tongues. They are the construction cranes of the animal kingdom with the ability to push over 400 kg trees, but also have the precision to pick up a tortilla chip without breaking it. This makes the elephant trunk an ideal bio-inspiration for a new type of soft robot mimicking the unmatched strength and flexibility the elephant is able to do. 

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Tail Biomechanics and Biomimicry

Animals utilize their tails for agile locomotion, such as cheetahs during prey capture and chasing different prey through different terrains. There are also biomechanical differences between wild and captive cheetah biomechanics that is shown in their tail use as well as their speed and locomotor performance. Can we utilize biomechanics observations to understand how to better work on the reintroductions of cheetahs into the wild for conservation? We are working to answer this question with collaborators in South Africa and the University of Swaziland. 

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THE SCIENCE OF CLIMBING

Bears are the largest and most massive of the plantigrade generalist. There are currently 8 living species of bears alive on the earth. Understanding how animals as massive as the giant panda still has the ability to climb very well will help us understand more about how large animals can do such complicated maneuvers in the trees. Six of the eight species of bears in the world are endangered and climbing is a primary way of escape from predation. Understanding bear climbing behavior could have a positive impact on the conservation of bear species—illustration by B. Seleb.

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