Mechanism of Motile Plants and Robots Inspired by Plants

Plants are ideal for soft robot design due to their favourable ability to adapt and respond to the environment. Here, three different motile plants, bird of paradise (<i>Strelitzia reginae</i>), the waterwheel plant (<i>Aldrovanda vesiculosa</i>), and the Venus flytrap (<i...

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Main Authors: Xiangli Zeng, Keisuke Morishima
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-05-01
Series:Proceedings
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/107/1/49
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author Xiangli Zeng
Keisuke Morishima
author_facet Xiangli Zeng
Keisuke Morishima
author_sort Xiangli Zeng
collection DOAJ
description Plants are ideal for soft robot design due to their favourable ability to adapt and respond to the environment. Here, three different motile plants, bird of paradise (<i>Strelitzia reginae</i>), the waterwheel plant (<i>Aldrovanda vesiculosa</i>), and the Venus flytrap (<i>Dionaea muscipula</i>), are introduced. They may deform following the physics predetermined by the structure. As a decentralised species, plants respond under environmental stimulation without a controlling unit like a brain and motor-like muscles. The mechanism behind the movement of the plant should enlighten more intelligent robotics. In this study, movable plants are compared for their actuating principle, and, based on their deformation model, three pneumatic actuators are designed. The bird of paradise opens its petals when the sunbirds sit on another petal, which inspires the structure utilising the bending of the midrib to open lobes. Similarly, the waterwheel plant stores energy in the bending midrib and releases it when it closes. But, the Venus flytrap takes advantage of snapping to achieve rapid closure. Using three-dimensional (3D) printing, pneumatic actuators, which are ruled by the mechanism of plants with silicon rubber surfaces, are fabricated and tested. Under air pressure, the actuator deforms, mimicking the plant cells expanding under the turgor pressure. The hingeless actuator performs well while interacting with dedicated projects.
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spelling doaj-art-cb860dfd126b46a78b5cd658efe26c272025-08-20T03:29:51ZengMDPI AGProceedings2504-39002024-05-0110714910.3390/proceedings2024107049Mechanism of Motile Plants and Robots Inspired by PlantsXiangli Zeng0Keisuke Morishima1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Osaka 5650871, JapanDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Osaka 5650871, JapanPlants are ideal for soft robot design due to their favourable ability to adapt and respond to the environment. Here, three different motile plants, bird of paradise (<i>Strelitzia reginae</i>), the waterwheel plant (<i>Aldrovanda vesiculosa</i>), and the Venus flytrap (<i>Dionaea muscipula</i>), are introduced. They may deform following the physics predetermined by the structure. As a decentralised species, plants respond under environmental stimulation without a controlling unit like a brain and motor-like muscles. The mechanism behind the movement of the plant should enlighten more intelligent robotics. In this study, movable plants are compared for their actuating principle, and, based on their deformation model, three pneumatic actuators are designed. The bird of paradise opens its petals when the sunbirds sit on another petal, which inspires the structure utilising the bending of the midrib to open lobes. Similarly, the waterwheel plant stores energy in the bending midrib and releases it when it closes. But, the Venus flytrap takes advantage of snapping to achieve rapid closure. Using three-dimensional (3D) printing, pneumatic actuators, which are ruled by the mechanism of plants with silicon rubber surfaces, are fabricated and tested. Under air pressure, the actuator deforms, mimicking the plant cells expanding under the turgor pressure. The hingeless actuator performs well while interacting with dedicated projects.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/107/1/49plant-inspired robotsoft robotpneumatic actuator
spellingShingle Xiangli Zeng
Keisuke Morishima
Mechanism of Motile Plants and Robots Inspired by Plants
Proceedings
plant-inspired robot
soft robot
pneumatic actuator
title Mechanism of Motile Plants and Robots Inspired by Plants
title_full Mechanism of Motile Plants and Robots Inspired by Plants
title_fullStr Mechanism of Motile Plants and Robots Inspired by Plants
title_full_unstemmed Mechanism of Motile Plants and Robots Inspired by Plants
title_short Mechanism of Motile Plants and Robots Inspired by Plants
title_sort mechanism of motile plants and robots inspired by plants
topic plant-inspired robot
soft robot
pneumatic actuator
url https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/107/1/49
work_keys_str_mv AT xianglizeng mechanismofmotileplantsandrobotsinspiredbyplants
AT keisukemorishima mechanismofmotileplantsandrobotsinspiredbyplants