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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 25, 2026

Microfabricated Platforms for Mechanically Dynamic Cell Culture

Microfabricated Platforms for Mechanically Dynamic Cell Culture

Published on: December 26, 2010

Pressure-actuated cellular structures.

M Pagitz¹, E Lamacchia, J M A M Hol

¹Aerospace Structures and Computational Mechanics Group, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands. m.e.pagitz@tudelft.nl

Bioinspiration & Biomimetics

|January 27, 2012

Summary

Engineers can now design reliable, energy-efficient morphing structures inspired by plant movements. These structures use connected prismatic cells to achieve large strength-to-weight ratios for various applications.

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Area of Science:

Engineering
Materials Science
Biomimetics

Background:

Rigid structures have limited optimal operating conditions.
Morphing structures offer adaptability for future engineering designs.
A high strength-to-weight ratio is crucial for widespread applicability.

Purpose of the Study:

To propose a novel concept for reliable and energy-efficient morphing structures.
To mimic the nastic movement of plants for structural design.
To develop structures with a large strength-to-weight ratio.

Main Methods:

Connecting prismatic cells with tailored pentagonal and/or hexagonal cross-sections.
Utilizing cell pressure to induce shape changes into target configurations.
Developing an efficient algorithm for calculating equilibrium shapes and cross-sectional geometries.

Main Results:

Demonstrated a novel bio-inspired approach to morphing structures.
Successfully computed equilibrium shapes and optimized cross-sectional geometries.
Validated the concept through diverse examples, including propulsion devices and aircraft wings.

Conclusions:

The proposed concept enables the creation of adaptable and efficient morphing structures.
Plant-inspired design offers a promising avenue for advanced engineering solutions.
The developed algorithm and methodology are effective for designing complex morphing systems.