The Plant Biomechanics Group Freiburg and the livMatS Cluster of Excellence are conducting several research projects that demonstrate the great variety of current bioinspired material and product development. One example is 3D-printed, bioinspired devices for micro-filtering and online analysis of washing suds in more eco-friendly washing machines. These devices were developed and recently patented in collaboration with our industrial partner, E.G.O.

Drawing from existing knowledge of the filter-feeding mechanisms of basket sharks and the olfactory systems of hammerhead sharks, we developed a microfiber and microplastic filter system [1], as well as a flow channel module. This module is designed to accommodate various state-of-the-art sensor technologies for real-time analysis of washing suds during the washing machine cycle. Controlling washing suds online and enhancing filtration processes is one solution to stop the increasing pollution of freshwater and oceans caused by microplastics and microfibers.

Over the last few decades, plants and their movements have attracted increasing interest in biomimetic research, particularly with regard to their material systems and surfaces. Because plants lack a central control unit (i.e., a brain), movable plant organs exhibit a high level of structural and functional integration combining sensors, actuators, reactive motile elements, and support structures within one materials system. Several examples studied and realized over the last decade exemplify the potential of plant organs as inspiration for moving technical systems. These include bioinspired facade shading systems and building hulls in architecture, such as the Flectofin, the Flectofold/FlectoLine and the Solar Gate, an autonomous hygroscopic sun-shading system that is part of the Biomimetic Shell @ FIT [2]. The latter is manufactured using 4D printing, inspired by the hygroscopic movement of pinecone scales and silver thistle bracts. Other examples include FDM-printed fluidic logic for bioinspired soft autonomous machines and walkers, such as the TurtleBot and Stick Insect Walker [3].

References:

[1] T. Masselter, U. Schaumann, T. Kampowski, K. Ulrich, M. Thielen, G. Bold, T. Speck Bioinspir. Biomim., 2023 18(1), 016017.
[2] T. Cheng, Y. Tahouni, E.S. Sahin, K. Ulrich, S. Lajewski, C. Bonten, D. Wood, J. Rühe, T. Speck, A. Menges Nat. Commun., 2024, 15, 10366.
[3] S. Conrad, J. Teichmann, N. Knorr, D. Bellin, T. Speck, F.J. Tauber Sci. Robot., 2024, 9(86), eadh4060.

Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck