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Journal of Bionic Engineering

ISSN 1672-6529

CN 22-1355/TB

Editor-in-Chief : Luquan Ren Published by Science Press and Springer

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Performance Evaluation of Calcium Alkali-treated Oil Palm/Pineapple Fibre/Bio-phenolic Composites

Sameer A. Awad, Hassan Fouad, Eman M. Khalaf, N. Saba, Hom N. Dhakal, M. Jawaid & Othman Y. Alothman
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2022, 19 (5): 1493-1503.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00198-w
Abstract （72）            Save
The utilisation of oil palm fibre (OPF) and pineapple leaf fibres (PALF) as reinforcement materials for bio-phenolic composites is growing especially in automotive lightweight applications. The major aim of this current study is to investigate the influence of alkali (Ca(OH)2 treatment on pure and hybrid composites. The effects of enhancements in chemical interactions were evaluated by the Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR). Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) performance of untreated reinforcements (OPF and PALF) and treated (OPF/OPF) composites at varying temperature and noted sufficient interfacial bonding contributing towards the improvements in thermal stability. From DMA results, the storage modulus improved with treated composites while the damping factor was reduced. Furthermore, the treated hybrid composites exhibited significant improvements in thermal stability compared to untreated fibre composites. The results indicated that alkali calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH2(:T) incorporation in hybrid composites (OPF/PALF) results in increased tensile strength and modulus among all composites. Similarly, the alkali-treated (Ca (OH)2)-treated pure composite (T/50%PALF), and hybrid composites (T/1OPF.1PALF) exhibited better flexural strength as compared with other composites. In contrast, the T/50% PALF showed higher flexural stress of 78.2 MPa, while the flexural modulus was recorded at 6503 MPa. It can be proposed from the findings of this study that the alkali treatment (5%Ca(OH)2) can be utilised to improve the strength and efficiency of agriculture biomass to be used as reinforcements in composites. Additionally, the hybridisation of bio-fibre composites has the potential as a novel variety of biodegradable and sustainable composites appropriate for several industrial and engineering applications.
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Utilization of Whale-inspired Leading-edge Tubercles for Airfoil Noise Reduction

Weijie Chen, Liangji Zhang, Liangfeng Wang, Zuojun Wei & Weiyang Qiao
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2022, 19 (5): 1405-1421.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00210-3
Abstract （100）            Save
Numerical studies are conducted to explore the noise reduction effect of leading-edge tubercles inspired by humpback whale flippers. Large eddy simulations are performed to solve the flow field, while the acoustic analogy theory is used for noise prediction. In this paper, a baseline airfoil with a straight leading-edge and three bionic airfoils with tubercled leading-edges are simulated. The tubercles have sinusoidal profiles and the profiles are determined by the tubercle wavelength and amplitude. The tubercles used in this study have a fixed wavelength of 0.1c with three different amplitudes of 0.1c, 0.15c and 0.2c, where c is the mean chord of the airfoil. The freestream velocity is set to 40 m/s and the chord based Reynolds number is 400,000. The predicted flow field and acoustic field of the baseline airfoil are compared against the experiments and good agreements are found. A considerable noise reduction level is achieved by the leading-edge tubercles and the tubercle with larger amplitude can obtain better noise reduction. The underlying flow mechanisms responsible for the noise reduction are analyzed in detail.
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Analysis of Heading Stability due to Interactions between Pectoral and Caudal Fins in Robotic Boxfish Locomotion

Hongcheng Qiu, Lingkun Chen, Xinshuo Ma, Shusheng Bi, Bo Wang & Tiefeng Li
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (1): 390-405.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00271-4
Abstract （68）            Save
Investigating the interaction between fins can guide the design and enhance the performance of robotic fish. In this paper, we take boxfish as the bionic object and discuss the effect of coupling motion gaits among the two primary propulsors, pectoral and caudal fins, on the heading stability of the body. First, we propose the structure and control system of the bionic boxfish prototype. Second, using a one/two-way fluid–structure interaction numerical method, we analyse the key parameters of the prototype and discuss the influence of pectoral and caudal motion gaits on the hydrodynamic performance. Finally, effect of the pectoral and caudal interactions on heading stability of the prototype is systematically analyzed and verified in experiments. Results show that the course-deviating degree, oscillation amplitudes of yawing, rolling, and pitching exhibited by the prototype are smaller than that caused by single propulsor when the motion gaits of both pectoral and caudal fins are coordinated in a specific range. This paper reveals for the first time the effect of interactions between pectoral and caudal fins, on the stability of body's course by means of Computational Fluid Dynamics and prototype experiments, which provides an essential guidance for the design of robotic fish propelled by multi-fins.
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Variations in the Biomechanics of 16 Palmar Hand Regions Related to Tomato Picking

Xue An, Zhiguo Li, Jun Fu, Tobi Fadiji & Sheng Zhang
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (1): 278-290.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00244-7
Abstract （87）            Save
The aim of this study is to systematically reveal the differences in the biomechanics of 16 hand regions related to bionic picking of tomatoes. The biomechanical properties (peak loading force, elastic coefficient, maximum percentage deformation and interaction contact mechanics between human hand and tomato fruit) of each hand region were experimentally measured and covariance analyzed. The results revealed that there were significant variations in the assessed biomechanical properties between the 16 hand regions (p?<?0.05). The maximum pain force threshold (peak loading force in I2 region) was 5.11 times higher than the minimum pain force threshold (in Th1 region). It was found that each hand region in its normal direction can elastically deform by at least 15.30%. The elastic coefficient of the 16 hand regions ranged from 0.22 to 2.29 N mm?1. The interaction contact force acting on the fruit surface was affected by the selected human factors and fruit features. The obtained covariance models can quantitatively predict all of the above biomechanical properties of 16 hand regions. The findings were closely related to hand grasping performance during tomato picking, such as soft contact, surface interaction, stable and dexterous grasping, provided a foundation for developing a high-performance tomato-picking bionic robotic hand.
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Progress on Medical Implant: A Review and Prospects

Ankur Pandey & Swagatadeb Sahoo
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (2): 470-494.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00284-z
Abstract （55）            Save
Medical implant from different materials such as metals, ceramics, polymers and composites have gained a lot of research attraction due to wide applications in medical industry for treatment, surgical operations and preparing artificial body parts. In this work, we highlight a comprehensive review of medical implant mechanism, various types of implant materials, factors affecting the performance of implant and different characterization techniques. This review provides an overall summary of the state-of-the-art progress on various interesting and promising material-based medical implant. Finally, few new prospects are explained from the established theoretical and experimental results for real-life applications. This study is expected to promote extended interest of scientists and engineers in recent trend of modern biomaterials based medical implant.
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Dynamic Vertical Climbing Mechanism of Chinese Dragon-Li Cats Based on the Linear Inverted Pendulum Model

Qun Niu, Jieliang Zhao, Lulu Liang & Jin Xing
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (1): 136-145.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00248-3
Abstract （115）            Save
Humans have long desired but never achieved the capacity to climb walls. The fundamental reason is that human hands and feet cannot climb vertical walls like geckos and bees. Animals lacking an adhesive structure can use the body’s dynamic effect to climb walls. Here we investigated the dynamic wall climbing behavior of individuals who cannot remain stationary on the vertical wall. Taking the domestic cat as the experimental object, we constructed an experimental platform as the obstacle for the cat to climb the wall. Our research indicated that domestic cats must meet the following physical conditions to do dynamic vertical wall climbing: vertical obstacles must have nonvertical surfaces, a horizontal run-up, and contact with nonvertical surfaces before the vertical speed reduces to zero. Here we proposed a dynamic vertical wall climbing model with three contact states based on an investigation of domestic cats’ dynamic wall climbing behavior and the LIP model. The motion range of the LIP model’s generalized angular coordinates varies depending on the contact state. The horizontal run-up action can improve the jumping height and obtain horizontal speed. When making contact with the vertical surface of the obstacle, the motion inertia in the horizontal direction can produce a reaction force on the contact surface, which can compensate for the influence of some gravity. This alternating contact strategy lets cats switch different initial and end contact angles. This investigation clarifies the essential process underlying animals’ dynamic vertical wall climbing and establishes the theoretical foundation for the legged robot to do dynamic vertical wall climbing.
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Experimental Study on the Improvement of Yaw Stability by Coordination Control between the Caudal Fin and Anal Fin

Jiang Ding, Changzhen Zheng, Chaocheng Song, Qiyang Zuo, Yaohui Xu, Bingbing Dong, Jiaxu Cui, Kai He & Fengran Xie
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2022, 19 (5): 1261-1271.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00201-4
Abstract （147）            Save
Due to the unique locomotion, the head-shaking problem of biomimetic robotic fish inevitably occurs during rectilinear locomotion, which strongly hinders its practical applications. In this paper, we experimentally study this problem by proposing the method of coordination control between the caudal fin and anal fin. First, an untethered biomimetic robotic fish, equipped with an anal fin, a caudal fin and two pectoral fins, is developed as the experimental platform. Second, a Central Pattern Generator (CPG)-based controller is used to coordinate the motions of the anal fin and caudal fin. Third, extensive experiments are conducted to explore different combinations of the flapping frequencies, the flapping amplitudes, and the phase differences between the anal fin and caudal fin. Notably, through proper control of the anal fin, the amplitude of the yaw motion can be as small as 4.32°, which sees a 65% improvement compared to the scenario without anal fin, and a 57% improvement compared to that with a stationary anal fin. This paper provides a novel way to alleviate the head-shaking problem for biomimetic robotic fish, and first test this method on an untethered, freely swimming robotic platform, which can shed light on the development of underwater robotics.
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Snake-worm: A Bi-modal Locomotion Robot

Zhouwei Du, Hongbin Fang & Jian Xu
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2022, 19 (5): 1272-1287.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00197-x
Abstract （115）            Save
Inspired by the morphology characteristics and the locomotion mechanisms of the earthworm, and the snakes’ morphology characteristics and motivated by the demands for multi-modal locomotion robots in variable working environments, this paper presents a novel bi-modal robot named as Snake-Worm Locomotion Robot (SWL-Robot). Two fundamentally different locomotion mechanisms, the earthworm’s peristaltic rectilinear locomotion and the snake’s lateral undulation, are synthesized in the SWL-Robot design. In detail, the SWL-Robot consists of six earthworm-like body segments interconnected by rotational joints and a head segment equipped with a couple of independently driven wheels. By actuating the segments following a peristaltic wave-like gait, the robot as a whole could perform earthworm-like rectilinear crawling. The robot could also perform snake-like undulatory locomotion driven by differential motions of the wheels at the head segment. To understand the relationship between the design parameters and the robotic locomotion performance, kinematic models of the SWL-Robot corresponding to the two locomotion modes are developed. Rich locomotion behaviors of the SWL-Robot are achieved, including the peristaltic locomotion inside a tube, multiple planar motions on a flat surface, and a hybrid motion that switches between the tube and the flat surface. It shows that the measured trajectories of the SWL-Robot agree well with the theoretical predictions. The SWL-Robot is promising to be implemented in tasks where both tubular and flat environments may be encountered.
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sEMG-Based Lower Limb Motion Prediction Using CNN-LSTM with Improved PCA Optimization Algorithm

Meng Zhu, Xiaorong Guan, Zhong Li, Long He, Zheng Wang & Keshu Cai
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (2): 612-627.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00280-3
Abstract （112）            Save
In recent years, sEMG (surface electromyography) signals have been increasingly used to operate wearable devices. The development of mechanical lower limbs or exoskeletons controlled by the nervous system requires greater accuracy in recognizing lower limb activity. There is less research on devices to assist the human body in uphill movements. However, developing controllers that can accurately predict and control human upward movements in real-time requires the employment of appropriate signal pre-processing methods and prediction algorithms. For this purpose, this paper investigates the effects of various sEMG pre-processing methods and algorithms on the prediction results. This investigation involved ten subjects (five males and five females) with normal knee joints. The relevant data of the subjects were collected on a constructed ramp. To obtain feature values that reflect the gait characteristics, an improved PCA algorithm based on the kernel method is proposed for dimensionality reduction to remove redundant information. Then, a new model (CNN?+?LSTM) was proposed to predict the knee joint angle. Multiple approaches were utilized to validate the superiority of the improved PCA method and CNN-LSTM model. The feasibility of the method was verified by analyzing the gait prediction results of different subjects. Overall, the prediction time of the method was 25 ms, and the prediction error was 1.34?±?0.25 deg. By comparing with traditional machine learning methods such as BP (backpropagation) neural network, RF (random forest), and SVR (support vector machine), the improved PCA algorithm processed data performed the best in terms of convergence time and prediction accuracy in CNN-LSTM model. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method (improved PCA?+?CNN-LSTM) effectively recognizes lower limb activity from sEMG signals. For the same data input, the EMG signal processed using the improved PCA method performed better in terms of prediction results. This is the first step toward myoelectric control of aided exoskeleton robots using discrete decoding. The study results will lead to the future development of neuro-controlled mechanical exoskeletons that will allow troops or disabled individuals to engage in a greater variety of activities.
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Design of an Active Flexible Spine for Wall Climbing Robot Using Pneumatic Soft Actuators

Guangming Chen, Tao Lin, Gabriel Lodewijks & Aihong Ji
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (2): 530-542.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00273-2
Abstract （68）            Save
Wall climbing robots can be used to undertake missions in many unstructured environments. However, current wall climbing robots have mobility difficulties such as in the turning or accelarating. One of the main reasons for the limitations is the poor flexibility of the spines. Soft robotic technology can actively enable structure deformation and stiffness varations, which provides a solution for the design of active flexible spines. This research utilizes pneumatic soft actuators to design a flexible spine with the abilities of actively bending and twisting by each joint. Using bending and torsion moment equilibriums, respectively, from air pressure to material deformations, the bending and twisting models for a single actuator with respect to different pressure are obtained. The theoretical models are verified by finite-element method simulations and experimental tests. In addition, the bending and twisiting motions of single joint and whole spine are analytically modeled. The results show that the bionic spine can perform desired deformations in accordance with the applied pressure on specified chambers. The variations of the stiffness are also numerically assessed. Finally, the effectiveness of the bionic flexible spine for actively producing sequenced motions as biological spine is experimentally validated. This work demonstrated that the peneumatic spine is potential to improve the spine flexibility of wall climbing robot.
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Systematic Review on Wearable Lower Extremity Robotic Exoskeletons for Assisted Locomotion

Shuang Qiu, Zhongcai Pei, Chen Wang & Zhiyong Tang
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (2): 436-469.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00289-8
Abstract （81）            Save
Lower extremity robotic exoskeletons (LEEX) can not only improve the ability of the human body but also provide healing treatment for people with lower extremity dysfunction. There are a wide range of application needs and development prospects in the military, industry, medical treatment, consumption and other fields, which has aroused widespread concern in society. This paper attempts to review LEEX technical development. First, the history of LEEX is briefly traced. Second, based on existing research, LEEX is classified according to auxiliary body parts, structural forms, functions and fields, and typical LEEX prototypes and products are introduced. Then, the latest key technologies are analyzed and summarized, and the research contents, such as bionic structure and driving characteristics, human–robot interaction (HRI) and intent-awareness, intelligent control strategy, and evaluation method of power-assisted walking efficiency, are described in detail. Finally, existing LEEX problems and challenges are analyzed, a future development trend is proposed, and a multidisciplinary development direction of the key technology is provided.
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Limb Stiffness Improvement of the Robot WAREC-1R for a Faster and Stable New Ladder Climbing Gait

Xiao Sun, Akira Ito, Takashi Matsuzawa & Atsuo Takanishi
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (1): 57-68.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00245-6
Abstract （68）            Save
Ladder climbing is a relatively new but practical locomotion style for robots. Unfortunately, due to their size and weight, ladder climbing by human-sized robots developed so far is struggling with the speedup of ladder climbing motion itself. Therefore, in this paper, a new ladder climbing gait for the robot WAREC-1R is proposed by the authors, which is both faster than the former ones and stable. However, to realize such a gait, a point that has to be taken into consideration is the deformation caused by the self-weight of the robot. To deal with this issue, extra hardware (sensor) and software (position and force control) systems and extra time for sensing and calculation were required. For a complete solution without any complicated systems and time only for deformation compensation, limb stiffness improvement plan by the minimal design change of mechanical parts of the robot is also proposed by the authors, with a thorough study about deformation distribution in the robot. With redesigned parts, ladder climbing experiments by WAREC-1R proved that both the new ladder climbing gait and the limb stiffness improvement are successful, and the reduced deformation is very close to the estimated value as well.
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Intelligent Knee Prostheses: A Systematic Review of Control Strategies

Linrong Li, Xiaoming Wang, Qiaoling Meng, Changlong Chen, Jie Sun & Hongliu Yu
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2022, 19 (5): 1242-1260.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00169-1
Abstract （128）            Save
The intelligent knee prosthesis is capable of human-like bionic lower limb control through advanced control systems and artificial intelligence algorithms that will potentially minimize gait limitations for above-knee amputees and facilitate their reintegration into society. In this paper, we sum up the control strategies corresponding to the prevailing control objectives (position and impedance) of the current intelligent knee prosthesis. Although these control strategies have been successfully implemented and validated in relevant experiments, the existing deficiencies still fail to achieve optimal performance of the controllers, which complicates the definition of a standard control method. Before a mature control system can be developed, it is more important to realize the full potential for the control strategy, which requires upgrading and refining the relevant key technologies based on the existing control methods. For this reason, we discuss potential areas for improvement of the prosthetic control system based on the summarized control strategies, including intent recognition, sensor system, prosthetic evaluation, and parameter optimization algorithms, providing future directions toward optimizing control strategies for the next generation of intelligent knee prostheses.
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Tracking Control in Presence of Obstacles and Uncertainties for Bioinspired Spherical Underwater Robots

Chunying Li, Shuxiang Guo & Jian Guo
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (1): 323-337.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00268-z
Abstract （65）            Save
During marine missions, AUVs are susceptible to external disturbances, such as obstacles, ocean currents, etc., which can easily cause mission failure or disconnection. In this paper, considering the strong nonlinearities, external disturbances and obstacles, the kinematic and dynamic model of bioinspired Spherical Underwater Robot (SUR) was described. Subsequently, the waypoints-based trajectory tracking with obstacles and uncertainties was proposed for SUR to guarantee its safety and stability. Next, the Lyapunov theory was adopted to verify the stability and the Slide Mode Control (SMC) method is used to verify the robustness of the control system. In addition, a series of simulations were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of proposed control strategy. Some tests, including path-following, static and moving obstacle avoidance were performed which verified the feasibility, robustness and effectiveness of the designed control scheme. Finally, a series of experiments in real environment were performed to verify the performance of the control strategy. The simulation and experimental results of the study supplied clues to the improvement of the path following capability and multi-obstacle avoidance of AUVs.
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The Development of a Venus Flytrap Inspired Soft Robot Driven by IPMC

Jiahua Li, Aifen Tian, Yue Sun, Bin Feng, Hongyan Wang & Xinrong Zhang
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (1): 406-415.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00250-9
Abstract （99）            Save
In recent years, more and more creatures in nature have become the source of inspiration for people to study bionic soft robots. Many such robots appear in the public’s vision. In this paper, a Venus flytrap robot similar to the biological Venus flytrap in appearance was designed and prepared. It was mainly cast by Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMs) and driven by the flexible material of Ionic Polymer Metal Composites (IPMCs). Combining with ANSYS and related experiments, the appropriate voltage and the size of IPMC were determined. The results showed that the performance of the Venus flytrap robot was the closest to the biological Venus flytrap when the size of IPMC length, width and driving voltage reach to 3 cm, 1 cm and 5.5 V, respectively. Moreover, the closing speed and angle reached 8.22°/s and 37°, respectively. Finally, the fly traps also could be opened and closed repeatedly and captured a small ball with a mass of 0.3 g firmly in its middle and tip.
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Optimization and Experimental Study of Bionic Compliant End-effector for Robotic Cherry Tomato Harvesting

Huaibei Xie, Deyi Kong & Qiong Wang
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2022, 19 (5): 1314-1333.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00202-3
Abstract （101）            Save
High harvesting success rate is part of the key technologies for robotic cherry tomato harvesting, which is closely related to the structural design of the end-effector. To obtain a high success rate of fruit harvesting, this paper presents a compliant end-effector with bio-inspired tarsus compliant gripper inspired by the structure and mechanics of the tarsal chain in the Serica orientalis Motschulsky. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on Box Behnken Design (BBD) technique has been used to optimize the key structural parameters of the bionic compliant end-effector for achieving the expected results in pulling pattern for robotic cherry tomato harvesting. Experiments were designed by maintaining three levels of four process parameters—Length of the Offset Segment Tarsomere (OSTL), Angle of the Inclined Segment Tarsomere (ISTA), Thickness of the Extended Segment Tarsomere (ESTT) and Length of the Extended Segment Tarsomere (ESTL). According to the optimization analysis results, the best parameter combination is OSTL 23 mm, ISTA 14°, ESTT 5.0 mm, ESTL 23 mm. Besides, the harvesting performance of the optimized bionic compliant end-effector was verified by experiments. The results indicated the harvesting success rate of fruits with different equatorial diameters was not less than 76%.
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Design and Analysis of a 2-DOF Actuator with Variable Stiffness Based on Leaf Springs

ShangKui Yang, Peng Chen, DongQi Wang, Yi Yu & YuWang Liu
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2022, 19 (5): 1392-1404.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00205-0
Abstract （94）            Save
Variable Stiffness Actuator (VSA) is the core mechanism to achieve physical human–robot interaction, which is an inevitable development trend in robotic. The existing variable stiffness actuators are basically single degree-of-freedom (DOF) rotating joints, which are achieving multi-DOF motion by cascades and resulting in complex robot body structures. In this paper, an integrated 2-DOF actuator with variable stiffness is proposed, which could be used for bionic wrist joints or shoulder joints. The 2-DOF motion is coupling in one universal joint, which is different from the way of single DOF actuators cascade. Based on the 2-DOF orthogonal motion generated by the spherical wrist parallel mechanism, the stiffness could be adjusted by varying the effective length of the springs, which is uniformly distributed in the variable stiffness unit. The variable stiffness principle, the model design, and theoretical analysis of the VSA are discussed in this work. The independence of adjusting the equilibrium position and stiffness of the actuator is validated by experiments. The results show that the measured actuator characteristics are sufficiently matched the theoretical values. In the future, VSA could be used in biped robot or robotic arm, ensuring the safety of human–robot interaction.
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Cockroach-inspired Traversing Narrow Obstacles for a Sprawled Hexapod Robot

Xingguo Song, Jiajun Pan, Faming Lin, Xiaolong Zhang, Chunjun Chen & Danshan Huang
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2022, 19 (5): 1288-1301.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00218-9
Abstract （113）            Save
Inspired by the cockroach’s use of a pitch-roll mode traverses through narrow obstacles, we improve the RHex-style robot by adding two sprawl joints to adjust the body posture, and propose a novel pitch-roll approach that enables an RHex-style robot to traverse through two cylindrical obstacles with a spacing of 90 mm, about 54% body width. First, the robot can pitch up against the obstacle on the one side by the cooperation of its rear and middle legs. Then, the robot rotates one side rear leg to kick the ground fast, meanwhile the sprawl joint on the other side rotates inward to make the robot roll and fall forward. Finally, the robot can rotate the legs on the ground to move the body forward until it crosses the obstacles. In this article, both cylinder and rectangular columns are considered as the narrow obstacles for traversing. The experiments are demonstrated by using the proposed approach, and the results show that the robot can smoothly traverse through different narrow spaces.
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The Effects of a Novel Multicomponent Transition Metal Dichalcogenide on Nervous System Regeneration

Nahid Askari, Mohammad Bagher Askari, Ali Shafieipour, Behnaz Salek Esfahani & Morteza Hadizadeh
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2022, 19 (5): 1449-1459.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00215-y
Abstract （114）            Save
In regenerative medicine, a scaffold is needed to provide physical support for the growth of cells at the injury site. Carbon composites are also widely used in biomedicine. This research aimed to see if (MoWCu)S/rGO could be used in peripheral and central neural regeneration as a carbon-based nanomaterial. This material was created using a one-step hydrothermal process. We used Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM–EDX), X-ray diffraction, and Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) to describe it. The researchers used animal models of spinal cord injury and sciatic nerve injury to assess its effect as a scaffold of anti-inflammatory and electrical conductivity. The Basso Beattie Bresnahan locomotor rating scale and von Frey Filament were used to assess neuronal function after (MoWCu)S/rGO transplantation. In addition, the expression of p75 NTR and neurotrophic factors (BDNF, NT3, and NGF) mRNA in the experimental rats nerve was compared to the normal ones using Real-Time RT-qPCR. In the experimental groups, the use of (MoWCu)S/rGO resulted in a significant increase in neurotrophic factor gene expression, while p75 NTR was inversely decreased. In conclusion, we found that the nerve regeneration activity of the (MoWCu)S/rGO scaffold in rat models significantly increased motor function recovery in the treated groups. Furthermore, the current study explained the response of this composite to inflammatory neurodegenerative diseases. (MoWCu)S incorporation in graphene is thought to have excellent properties and may be used in regenerative medicine.
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Bionic Design to Reduce Driving Power for a Portable Elbow Exoskeleton Based on Gravity-balancing Coupled Model

Qiaoling Meng, Rongna Xu, Qiaolian Xie, Bostan·Mahmutjan, Sujiao Li & Hongliu Yu
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (1): 146-157.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00249-2
Abstract （110）            Save
Portability is an important performance to the design of exoskeleton for rehabilitation and assistance. However, the structure of traditional exoskeletons will decrease the portability because of their heavy weight and large volume. This paper proposes a novel bionic portable elbow exoskeleton based on a human-exoskeleton gravity-balancing coupled model. The variable stiffness characteristics of the coupled model is analyzed based on the static analysis. In addition, the optimization of human-exoskeleton joint points is analysis to improve the bionic motor characteristics of the exoskeleton. Theoretical prototype is designed and its driving power and dynamic performance are analyzed. Then, a prototype is designed and manufactured with a total weight of 375 g. The merits of driving power reducing is verified by simulation and the isokinetic experiments. The simulation and isokinetic results show that the driving torque and the driving power of the subject were significantly decreased with wearing the proposed exoskeleton. The driving torques are reduced 79.28% and 57.38% from the simulation results and isokinetic experiment results, respectively. The driving work of experiment was reduced by 56.5%. The development of the novel elbow exoskeleton with gravity-balancing mechanism can expand the application of exoskeleton in home-based rehabilitation.
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Hybrid Offset Slider Crank Mechanism for Anthropomorphic Flexion in Prosthetic Hands

Banibrata Datta, Sekar Anup Chander & Srikanth Vasamsetti
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (1): 308-322.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00266-1
Abstract （82）            Save
The underactuated fingers used in prosthetic hands account for a large part of design consideration in anthropomorphic prosthetic hand design. There are considerable numbers of designs available for underactuated prosthetic fingers in literature but, emulating the anthropomorphic flexion movement is still a challenge due to the complex nature of the motion. To address this challenge, a hybrid mechanism using both linkage-based mechanism and tendon-driven actuation has been proposed in this paper. The presented mechanism includes a novel offset slider-crank-based finger that has been designed using a combination of different lengths of cranks and connecting rods. The prototypes of both the new mechanism and the conventional tendon-driven mechanism are constructed and compared experimentally based on interphalangeal joint angle trajectory during flexion. The angles achieved through the new hybrid mechanism are compared with the conventional tendon-driven mechanism and the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) values have been calculated by comparing to the anthropomorphic flexion angles of the published literature. The RMSE values calculated for three interphalangeal joints of the hybrid mechanism are found to be less than their counter-parts of the conventional tendon-driven mechanism. In addition to achieving resemblance to anthropomorphic flexion angles, the mechanism is designed within the anthropometric human finger dimensions.
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Design and Implementation of a Rehabilitation Upper-limb Exoskeleton Robot Controlled by Cognitive and Physical Interfaces

Arturo González-Mendoza, Ivett Quiñones-Urióstegui, Sergio Salazar-Cruz, Alberto-Isaac Perez-Sanpablo, Ricardo López-Gutiérrez & Rogelio Lozano
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2022, 19 (5): 1374-1391.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00214-z
Abstract （92）            Save
This paper presents an upper limb exoskeleton that allows cognitive (through electromyography signals) and physical user interaction (through load cells sensors) for passive and active exercises that can activate neuroplasticity in the rehabilitation process of people who suffer from a neurological injury. For the exoskeleton to be easily accepted by patients who suffer from a neurological injury, we used the ISO9241-210:2010 as a methodology design process. As the first steps of the design process, design requirements were collected from previous usability tests and literature. Then, as a second step, a technological solution is proposed, and as a third step, the system was evaluated through performance and user testing. As part of the technological solution and to allow patient participation during the rehabilitation process, we have proposed a hybrid admittance control whose input is load cell or electromyography signals. The hybrid admittance control is intended for active therapy exercises, is easily implemented, and does not need musculoskeletal modeling to work. Furthermore, electromyography signals classification models and features were evaluated to identify the best settings for the cognitive human–robot interaction.
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A Hybrid Moth Flame Optimization Algorithm for Global Optimization

Saroj Kumar Sahoo & Apu Kumar Saha
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2022, 19 (5): 1522-1543.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00207-y
Abstract （110）            Save
The Moth Flame Optimization (MFO) algorithm shows decent performance results compared to other meta-heuristic algorithms for tackling non-linear constrained global optimization problems. However, it still suffers from obtaining quality solution and slow convergence speed. On the other hand, the Butterfly Optimization Algorithm (BOA) is a comparatively new algorithm which is gaining its popularity due to its simplicity, but it also suffers from poor exploitation ability. In this study, a novel hybrid algorithm, h-MFOBOA, is introduced, which integrates BOA with the MFO algorithm to overcome the shortcomings of both the algorithms and at the same time inherit their advantages. For performance evaluation, the proposed h-MFOBOA algorithm is applied on 23 classical benchmark functions with varied complexity. The tested results of the proposed algorithm are compared with some well-known traditional meta-heuristic algorithms as well as MFO variants. Friedman rank test and Wilcoxon signed rank test are employed to measure the performance of the newly introduced algorithm statistically. The computational complexity has been measured. Moreover, the proposed algorithm has been applied to solve one constrained and one unconstrained real-life problems to examine its problem-solving capability of both type of problems. The comparison results of benchmark functions, statistical analysis, real-world problems confirm that the proposed h-MFOBOA algorithm provides superior results compared to the other conventional optimization algorithms.
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Design, Mobility Analysis and Gait Planning of a Leech-like Soft Crawling Robot with Stretching and Bending Deformation

Manjia Su, Rongzhen Xie, Yu Qiu & Yisheng Guan
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (1): 69-80.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00256-3
Abstract （114）            Save
Soft climbing/crawling robots have been attracting increasing attention in the soft robotics community, and many prototypes with basic locomotion have been implemented. Most existing soft robots achieve locomotion by planar bending deformation and lack sufficient mobility. Enhancing the mobility of soft climbing/crawling robots is still an open and challenging issue. To this end, we present a novel pneumatic leech-like soft robot, Leechbot, with both bending and stretching deformation for locomotion. With a morphological structure, the robot consists of a three-chambered actuator in the middle for the main motion, two chamber-net actuators that act as ankles, and two suckers at the ends for anchoring on surfaces. The peristaltic motion for locomotion is implemented by body stretching, and direction changing is achieved by body bending. Due to the novel design and two deformation modes, the robot can make turns and transit between different surfaces; the robot, hence, has excellent mobility. The development of the robot prototype is presented in detail in this paper. To control its motion, tests were carried out to determine the relationship between step length and air pressure as well as the relationship between motion speed and periodic delay time. A kinematic model was established, and the kinematic mobility and surface transitionability were analyzed. Gait planning based on the inflating sequence of the actuating chambers is presented for straight crawling, turn making, and transiting between surfaces and was verified by a series of experiments with the prototype. The results show that a high mobility in soft climbing/crawling robots can be achieved by a novel design and by proper gait planning.
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Boosting Whale Optimizer with Quasi-Oppositional Learning and Gaussian Barebone for Feature Selection and COVID-19 Image Segmentation

Jie Xing, Hanli Zhao, Huiling Chen, Ruoxi Deng & Lei Xiao
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (2): 797-818.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00297-8
Abstract （78）            Save
Whale optimization algorithm (WOA) tends to fall into the local optimum and fails to converge quickly in solving complex problems. To address the shortcomings, an improved WOA (QGBWOA) is proposed in this work. First, quasi-opposition-based learning is introduced to enhance the ability of WOA to search for optimal solutions. Second, a Gaussian barebone mechanism is embedded to promote diversity and expand the scope of the solution space in WOA. To verify the advantages of QGBWOA, comparison experiments between QGBWOA and its comparison peers were carried out on CEC 2014 with dimensions 10, 30, 50, and 100 and on CEC 2020 test with dimension 30. Furthermore, the performance results were tested using Wilcoxon signed-rank (WS), Friedman test, and post hoc statistical tests for statistical analysis. Convergence accuracy and speed are remarkably improved, as shown by experimental results. Finally, feature selection and multi-threshold image segmentation applications are demonstrated to validate the ability of QGBWOA to solve complex real-world problems. QGBWOA proves its superiority over compared algorithms in feature selection and multi-threshold image segmentation by performing several evaluation metrics.
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Fabrication of Biomimetic Transparent and Flexible Pectin/PEG Composite Film for Temperature Sensing Applications

M. E. Harikumar & Sudip K. Batabyal
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (1): 47-56.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00243-8
Abstract （71）            Save
In the field of robotics to enhance the interaction with humans in real-time and in the bioengineering field to develop prosthetic devices, the need for artificial skin is in high demand. In this work, the hydrogen-bonded complex network structure of the Pectin/PEG composite has been designed, resulting in the free-standing film functioning as a temperature-sensing device. With the gelation technique and the addition of PEG, the film’s flexibility and conductivity were enhanced. The fabricated device worked at a low voltage of 1 V supply with high throughput. With different dimensions, three devices were fabricated, and the maximum-induced ionic current was 34 μA?±?5%. The device has an average sensitivity of 1.3–2.7 μA/°C over the range of 30 °C to 42 °C. The device's fastest response time to sense the temperature change was 2 s?±?5%. The present device exhibits good stability for a long duration of time. These pectin/PEG films can be used as biomimetic skin to improve the efficiency in sensing the temperature.
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Properties of Collagen/Sodium Alginate Hydrogels for Bioprinting of Skin Models

Tian Jiao, Qin Lian, Weilong Lian, Yonghui Wang, Dichen Li, Rui L. Reis & Joaquim Miguel Oliveira
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (1): 105-118.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00251-8
Abstract （78）            Save
3D printing technology has great potential for the reconstruction of human skin. However, the reconstructed skin has some differences from natural skin, largely because the hydrogel used does not have the appropriate biological and physical properties to allow healing and regeneration. This study examines the swelling, degradability, microstructure and biological properties of Collagen/Sodium Alginate (Col/SA) hydrogels of differing compositions for the purposes of skin printing. Increasing the content of sodium alginate causes the hydrogel to exhibit stronger mechanical and swelling properties, a faster degradation ratio, smaller pore size, and less favorable biological properties. An optimal 1% collagen hydrogel was used to print bi-layer skin in which fibroblasts and keratinocytes showed improved spreading and proliferation as compared to other developed formulations. The Col/SA hydrogels presented suitable tunability and properties to be used as a bioink for bioprinting of skin aiming at finding applications as 3D models for wound healing research.
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Multi-material Bio-inspired Soft Octopus Robot for Underwater Synchronous Swimming

Faheem Ahmed, Muhammad Waqas, Bushra Shaikh, Umair Khan, Afaque Manzoor Soomro, Suresh Kumar, Hina Ashraf, Fida Hussain Memon & Kyung Hyun Choi
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2022, 19 (5): 1229-1241.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00208-x
Abstract （107）            Save
Inspired by the simple yet amazing morphology of the Octopus, we propose the design, fabrication, and characterization of multi-material bio-inspired soft Octopus robot (Octobot). 3D printed molds for tentacles and head were used. The tentacles of the Octobot were casted using Ecoflex-0030 while head was fabricated using relatively flexible material, i.e., OOMOO-25. The head is attached to the functionally responsive tentacles (each tentacle is of 79.12 mm length and 7 void space diameter), whereas Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) muscle wires of 0.5 mm thickness are used in Octobot tentacles for dual thrust generation and actuation of Octobot. The tentacles were separated in two groups and were synchronously actuated. Each tentacle of the developed Octobot contains a pair of SMA muscles (SMA-α and SMA-β). SMA-α muscles being the main actuator, was powered by 9 V, 350 mA power supply, whereas SMA-β was used to provide back thrust and thus helps to increase the actuation frequency. Simulation work of the proposed model was performed in the SolidWorks environment to verify the vertical velocity using the octopus tentacle actuation. The design morphology of Octobot was optimized using simulation and TRACKER software by analyzing the experimental data of angle, displacement, and velocity of real octopus. The as-developed Octobot can swim at variable frequencies (0.5–2 Hz) with the average speed of 25 mm/s (0.5 BLS). Therefore, the proposed soft Octopus robot showed an excellent capability of mimicking the gait pattern of its natural counterpart.
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High-performance Multilayer Flexible Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor with Bionic Hierarchical and Anisotropic Structure

Meng Wang, Yue Yu, Yunhong Liang, Zhiwu Han, Chunbao Liu, Suqian Ma, Zhaohua Lin & Lei Ren
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2022, 19 (5): 1439-1448.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00219-8
Abstract （105）            Save
Flexible pressure sensor that enables detection of multimodal signals has greater advantages in human–computer interaction, medical/health care, and other applications. To make a versatile flexible pressure sensor, hierarchical and anisotropy structure are key features to improve sensing performance and realize multi-signal detection. However, traditional flexible sensors usually have narrow linear range and single signal detection capability. Herein, a highly sensitive flexible piezoresistive pressure sensor which has broad linear range of pressure is developed by replicating one dimensional microstructures from reed leaf and using multilayer superposition of micropatterned polydimethylsiloxane (m-PDMS). Through superposing 4 layers of parallel micropatterned constructive substrates, the multilayer piezoresistive pressure sensor exhibits a high sensitivity of 2.54 kPa?1, a fast response time of 30 ms, and a broad linear range of 107 kPa. The flexible piezoresistive pressure sensor is also highly robust: there is no fatigue after testing for at least 1000 cycles. Due to the specific anisotropy of the micro-structure, the sensor can measure the tangential force in different directions. It permits multimode signal detection, including pressure, tangential force, and deformation. The versatile flexible pressure sensor enables effective monitoring of multisignals, it reveals great potential for medical and health care, flexible human–computer interaction, and intelligent robot.
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Fabrication and Characterization of Willemite Scaffolds Using Corn Stalk as a Novel Bio Template for Bone Tissue Engineering Applications

Zahra Yahay, Seyed Mehdi Mirhadi & Fariborz Tavangarian
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (1): 16-29.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00259-0
Abstract （99）            Save
In this paper, we used Corn Stalk (CS) as a renewable and economical bio template to fabricate willemite scaffolds with the potential application in skull bone repair. CS was used as a sacrificial template to synthesize the scaffolds. Willemite scaffolds with the chemical formula of Zn2SiO4 and pore size in the range of 3 to 10 μm could be successfully synthesized by soaking CS in the willemite solution for 24 h and sintering at 950 °C for 5 h. The porosity of the samples was controlled by the soaking time (between 12 and 48 h) in the willemite solution from 5 to 35%, respectively. The properties of these scaffolds showed a good approximation with cranial bone tissue. In addition, cytotoxicity assays (MTT) were performed on Human Bone Marrow Stromal cells (HBMSc) and A172 human glioblastoma cell lines by direct and indirect culture methods to estimate their toxicity for bone and nerve cells, respectively. Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) activity and DAPI/Phalloidin cell staining were also performed to investigate the efficiency of the scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications. The results showed that the scaffolds had good biocompatibility with both HBMSC and A172 cells, noticeable improvement on ALP activity, and great apatite formation ability in Simulated Body Fluid (SBF). All the evidence ascertained that willemite scaffolds made by corn stalks could be a useful candidate for bone tissue engineering applications.
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Effect of Cellulose Microfibers from Sugar Beet Pulp By-product on the Reinforcement of HDPE Composites Prepared by Twin‐screw Extrusion and Injection Molding

Abdelghani Boussetta, Anass Ait Benhamou, Francisco J. Barba, Nabil Grimi, Mario J. Simirgiotis & Amine Moubarik
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (1): 349-365.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00260-7
Abstract （105）            Save
The aims of this work turn towards the valorization of the underutilized Raw Sugar Beet Pulp by-product to produce white Cellulose Microfibers (CMFs), and its potential effect as a reinforcement for the development of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) composites. Pure CMFs were first obtained by subjecting raw SBP to alkali and bleaching treatments. Several characterization techniques were performed to confirm the successful removal of the amorphous compounds from the surface of individual fibers, including SEM, XRD, TGA, and FT-IR analysis. Various CMF loadings (5–10 wt%) were incorporated as bio-fillers into HDPE polymer to evaluate their reinforcing ability in comparison to raw and alkali-treated SBP using twin-screw extrusion followed by injection molding. Styrene–(Ethylene–Butene)–Styrene Three-Block Co-Polymer Grafted with Maleic Anhydride was used as a compatibilizer to improve the interfacial adhesion between fibers and the matrix. Thermal, mechanical, and rheological properties of the produced composite samples were investigated. It was found that the Young’s modulus were gradually increased with increasing of fibers loadings, with a maximum increase of 30% and 26% observed for composite containing 10 wt% of CMFs and raw SBP, respectively, over neat HDPE. While, the use of coupling agent enhances the ductile behavior of the composites. It was also found that all fiber improves the hardness and toughness behavior of all reinforced composites as well as the complex modulus particularly at 10 wt%. The thermal stability slightly increases with the addition of fibers. This study demonstrates a new route for the valorization of SBP by-products. These fibers can be considered as a valuable bio-fillers candidate for the development of composite materials with enhanced properties.
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Optimal Variable Stiffness Control and Its Applications in Bionic Robotic Joints: A Review

Yuanxi Sun, Yuntao Tang, Jia Zheng, Dianbiao Dong & Long Bai
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (2): 417-435.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00278-x
Abstract （106）            Save
Variable Stiffness Actuation (VSA) is an efficient, safe, and robust actuation technology for bionic robotic joints that have emerged in recent decades. By introducing a variable stiffness elastomer in the actuation system, the mechanical-electric energy conversion between the motor and the load could be adjusted on-demand, thereby improving the performance of the actuator, such as the peak power reduction, energy saving, bionic actuation, etc. At present, the VSA technology has achieved fruitful research results in designing the actuator mechanism and the stiffness adjustment servo, which has been widely applied in articulated robots, exoskeletons, prostheses, etc. However, how to optimally control the stiffness of VSAs in different application scenarios for better actuator performance is still challenging, where there is still a lack of unified cognition and viewpoints. Therefore, from the perspective of optimal VSA performance, this paper first introduces some typical structural design and servo control techniques of common VSAs and then explains the methods and applications of the Optimal Variable Stiffness Control (OVSC) approaches by theoretically introducing different types of OVSC mathematical models and summarizing OVSC methods with varying optimization goals and application scenarios or cases. In addition, the current research challenges of OVSC methods and possible innovative insights are also presented and discussed in-depth to facilitate the future development of VSA control.
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CPG Modulates the Omnidirectional Motion of a Hexapod Robot in Unstructured Terrain

Wei Zhang, Qingshuo Gong, Haoyu Yang & Yejing Tang
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (2): 558-567.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00290-1
Abstract （78）            Save
Freely shuttling in complex terrain is a basic skill of multi-legged animals. To make the hexapod robot have omnidirectional motion ability by controlling only one parameter, this paper uses the motion control method based on Central Pattern Generator (CPG), maps the output signal of CPG to the foot end trajectory space of the hexapod robot, and proposes an omnidirectional gait controller strategy. In addition, to enable the hexapod robot to adapt to unstructured terrain, an adaptive method based on Dynamic Threshold (DT) is proposed to enable the hexapod robot move in all directions without changing the heading angle in unstructured terrain. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed method is verified by virtual simulation and hexapod robot prototype experiment. Results show that the hexapod robot can omnidirectional motion without changing the heading angle and has good stability in unstructured terrain.
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An Efficient Hybrid Model Based on Modified Whale Optimization Algorithm and Multilayer Perceptron Neural Network for Medical Classification Problems

Saeid Raziani, Sajad Ahmadian, Seyed Mohammad Jafar Jalali & Abdolah Chalechale
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2022, 19 (5): 1504-1521.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00216-x
Abstract （92）            Save
Feedforward Neural Network (FNN) is one of the most popular neural network models that is utilized to solve a wide range of nonlinear and complex problems. Several models such as stochastic gradient descent have been developed to train FNNs. However, they mainly suffer from falling into local optima leading to reduce the accuracy of FNNs. Moreover, the convergence speed of training process depends on the initial values of weights and biases in FNNs. Generally, these values are randomly determined by most of the training models. To deal with these issues, in this paper, we develop a novel evolutionary algorithm by modifying the original version of Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA). To this end, a nonlinear function is introduced to improve the exploration and exploitation phases in the search process of WOA. Then, the modified WOA is applied to automatically obtain the initial values of weights and biases in FNN leading to reduce the probability of falling into local optima. In addition, the FNN model trained by the modified WOA is used to develop a classification approach for medical diagnosis problems. Ten medical diagnosis datasets are utilized to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed method. Also, four evaluation metrics including accuracy, AUC, specificity, and sensitivity are used in the experiments to compare the performance of classification models. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method is better than other competing classification models due to achieving higher values of accuracy, AUC, specificity, and sensitivity metrics for the used datasets.
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A Bionic Degassing Device Inspired by Gills: Application on Underwater Oil and Gas Detection

Yongming Yao, Hang Li, Youhong Sun & Zhiyong Chang
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (1): 253-266.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00264-3
Abstract （105）            Save
Over the past decades, membrane-based separation processes have found numerous applications in various industries. Membrane contactor is an important part of the separation of dissolved gas in the early stage of gas detection. In this paper, to improve efficiency in the detection of the dissolved gas phase in seawater, a better flat membrane contactor is proposed to achieve efficient degassing, inspired by the way fish breathe underwater and the special structure of fish gills. The bioinspired flow channel structures in the flat membrane contactor are suggested along with the distribution of internal blood vessels in the gill platelet and the feature of the gill platelet surface. Using 3D printing, the special degassing devices are manufactured, and comparative analysis of relevant flow parameters is made using different flow channels, combined with the CFD simulation. The final result showed that the proposed flow channel in the degasser achieves a better degassing effect compared with conventional flow channel when the membrane contact area is limited, which can provide good conditions for subsequent gas detection.
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Growth Ring-dependent Fracture Toughness of Sea Urchin Spines Estimated by Boundary Effect Model

Xiaona Liu, Simin Liang, Yingying Li, Hongmei Ji & Xiaowu Li
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2022, 19 (5): 1472-1480.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00200-5
Abstract （102）            Save
Although the fracture behavior of sea urchin spines has been extensively investigated, there is as yet a lack of quantitative estimation on the effect of growth rings on the fracture properties of sea urchin spines. In sea urchin spines, much denser pores present in growth rings rather than porous layers. The tensile strength and fracture toughness of sea urchin spine samples with different numbers of growth rings are measured by the Boundary Effect Model (BEM). The experimental results of single-edge notched three-point bending tests indicate that the BEM is an appropriate method to estimate the fracture toughness of the present porous sea urchin spines, and the number of growth rings plays an important role in the fracture properties of spines. Specifically, the tensile strength and fracture toughness of sea urchin spines can be significantly improved with the increase in the number of growth rings, and their fracture toughness can even reach a relatively high value compared with some other porous materials with an identical porosity. The present research findings are expected to provide a fundamental insight into the design of high-performance bionic materials with a highly porous structure.
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A Programmable Inchworm-Inspired Soft Robot Powered by a Rotating Magnetic Field

Honglin Shen, Shuxiang Cai, Zhen Wang, Zheng Yuan, Haibo Yu & Wenguang Yang
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (2): 506-514.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00296-9
Abstract （152）            Save
With the growing demand for miniaturized workspaces, the demand for microrobots has been increasing in robotics research. Compared to traditional rigid robots, soft robots have better robustness and safety. With a flexible structure, soft robots can undergo large deformations and achieve a variety of motion states. Researchers are working to design and fabricate flexible robots based on biomimetic principles, using magnetic fields for cable-free actuation. In this study, we propose an inchworm-shaped soft robot driven by a magnetic field. First, a robot is designed and fabricated and force analysis is performed. Then, factors affecting the soft robot’s motion speed are examined, including the spacing between the magnets and the strength and frequency of the magnetic field. On this basis, the motion characteristics of the robot in different shapes are explored, and its motion modes such as climbing are experimentally investigated. The results show that the motion of the robot can be controlled in a two-dimensional plane, and its movement speed can be controlled by adjusting the strength of the magnetic field and other factors. Our proposed soft robot is expected to find extensive applications in various fields.
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Complementary Methods to Acquire the Kinematics of Swimming Snakes: A Basis to Design Bio-inspired Robots

Elie Gautreau, Xavier Bonnet, Tom Fox, Guillaume Fosseries, Valéry Valle, Anthony Herrel & Med Amine Laribi
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (2): 668-682.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00291-0
Abstract （58）            Save
The vast diversity of morphologies, body size, and lifestyles of snakes represents an important source of information that can be used to derive bio-inspired robots through a biology-push and pull process. An understanding of the detailed kinematics of swimming snakes is a fundamental prerequisite to conceive and design bio-inspired aquatic snake robots. However, only limited information is available on the kinematics of swimming snake. Fast and accurate methods are needed to fill this knowledge gap. In the present paper, three existing methods were compared to test their capacity to characterize the kinematics of swimming snakes. (1) Marker tracking (Deftac), (2) Markerless pose estimation (DeepLabCut), and (3) Motion capture were considered. (4) We also designed and tested an automatic video processing method. All methods provided different albeit complementary data sets; they also involved different technical issues in terms of experimental conditions, snake manipulation, or processing resources. Marker tracking provided accurate data that can be used to calibrate other methods. Motion capture posed technical difficulties but can provide limited 3D data. Markerless pose estimation required deep learning (thus time) but was efficient to extract the data under various experimental conditions. Finally, automatic video processing was particularly efficient to extract a wide range of data useful for both biology and robotics but required a specific experimental setting.
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Development of Novel Hybrid Hand Formed by a Parallel Wrist and Three Soft-flexible Fingers

Yi Lu, Zefeng Chang & Yang Lu
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2022, 19 (5): 1349-1358.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00206-z
Abstract （100）            Save
A prototype of a novel hybrid hand is developed by combing a parallel wrist with three flexible fingers. Its dynamics model is established, its grabbed forces are measured, and its grabbing performances are analyzed. First, Jacobian and Hessian matrices of the moving platform in the parallel wrist are derived, the kinematics formulas for solving the general velocity and the general acceleration of the moving platform are derived. Second its dynamics model is established for solving the dynamic actuation forces, the dynamic constrained forces of the developed hybrid hand. Third, its simulation mechanism is constructed in Matlab, and the theoretical solutions of the kinematics and the dynamics of the developed hybrid hand are verified to be correct using its simulation mechanism. Finally, when objects with different mass are grabbed by prototype of hybrid hand in different poses, the grabbed forces are measured, and the grabbing performances are discovered and analyzed to verify its merits.
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A Hybrid Marine Predator Algorithm for Thermal-aware Routing Scheme in Wireless Body Area Networks

Tao Hai, Jincheng Zhou, Mohammad Masdari, Haydar Abdulameer Marhoon,
Journal of Bionic Engineering    2023, 20 (1): 81-104.   DOI: 10.1007/s42235-022-00263-4
Abstract （154）            Save
Thermal-aware routing protocols in WBANs consider temperature factors in the routing process for preventing overheating of the tissues surrounding the sensor nodes. However, providing an energy-efficient and thermal-aware routing in WBANs is a challenging issue. To deal with this problem, this article presents a novel temperature-aware routing protocol that applies Mamdani-based Fuzzy Logic Controllers (FLCs) for selecting the next forwarding node in routing data packets. These FLCs apply five important input factors such as the priority of the packet, and sensor node's remaining energy, temperature, distance, and link path loss. Also, a new hybrid version of the Marine Predator Algorithm (MPA), named MPAOA is presented by combining the exploration and exploitation phases of the MPA and Arithmetic Optimization Algorithm (AOA). This algorithm is effectively applied for selecting the best possible set of fuzzy rules for FLCs and tuning their fuzzy sets. Extensive experiments conducted in the Castalia simulator exhibit that the proposed temperature and priority-aware routing scheme can outperform other well-known routing schemes such as LATOR, TTRP, TAEO, ATAR, and EOCC-TARA in terms of metrics such as sensor nodes lifetime, the average temperature of the sensor nodes, and the percentage of the packets routed through non-overheated paths. Besides, it is shown that the MPAOA outperforms other algorithms such as Bat Algorithm (BA), Genetic Algorithm (GA), AOA, and MPA regarding the specified metrics.
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