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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 7, 2026

A Protocol for Bioinspired Design: A Ground Sampler Based on Sea Urchin Jaws

A Protocol for Bioinspired Design: A Ground Sampler Based on Sea Urchin Jaws

Published on: April 24, 2016

Biomimicry and the culinary arts.

Lisa J Burton¹, Nadia Cheng, César Vega

¹Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.

Bioinspiration & Biomimetics

|October 5, 2013

Summary

Scientists and chefs created two devices using surface tension: an edible cocktail boat propelled by alcohol and a floral pipette using capillary origami. These innovations mimic natural phenomena for unique applications.

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Area of Science:

Interdisciplinary science
Engineering design
Food science

Background:

Surface tension is a key physical phenomenon in nature.
Natural phenomena, like water-walking insects and floating flowers, offer inspiration for device design.
Collaboration between scientists, engineers, and chefs can lead to novel innovations.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop novel devices inspired by natural phenomena reliant on surface tension.
To explore the mechanics and biological inspiration behind these devices.
To detail the development and deployment process of the created devices.

Main Methods:

Investigated surface tension gradients, particularly alcohol-induced ones.
Applied principles of capillary action and fluid dynamics.
Utilized a collaborative approach involving scientific, engineering, and culinary expertise.

Main Results:

Developed a self-propelled edible 'cocktail boat' using alcohol-induced surface tension.
Created a 'floral pipette' employing capillary origami for elegant fluid dispensing.
Detailed the analogous mechanisms to natural water-walking insects and floating flowers.

Conclusions:

Surface tension phenomena can be harnessed to create innovative and elegant devices.
Interdisciplinary collaboration is effective in translating natural principles into practical applications.
The developed devices demonstrate a novel intersection of science, engineering, and culinary arts.