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Bionic Design for Mars Sampling Scoop Inspired by Himalayan Marmot Claw.

Long Xue1, Rong Rong Zhang2, Wei Zong3

  • 1Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China; School of Mechatronics and Engineering, East China Jiaotong University, Nanchang 330045, China.

Applied Bionics and Biomechanics
|January 28, 2017
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Summary

Engineered a bionic sampling scoop for Mars exploration inspired by Himalayan marmot claws. This biomimetic design significantly reduces resistance torque during soil sampling, improving efficiency for planetary missions.

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Area of Science:

  • Biomimetics
  • Planetary Science
  • Robotics

Background:

  • Cave-dwelling animals exhibit specialized claw structures for digging.
  • These adaptations can serve as biological prototypes for engineering solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To design a bionic sampling scoop for Mars using the Himalayan marmot's claw as a biological prototype.
  • To optimize the scoop's design for reduced resistance during soil sampling.

Main Methods:

  • Acquired 3D point cloud data of a Himalayan marmot's claw using a 3D laser scanner.
  • Developed parametric equations and contour curves for the claw using cubic polynomial fitting.
  • Designed a bionic sampling scoop integrating marmot claw contours with existing Mars rover sampling shovel parameters.

Main Results:

  • The bionic sampling scoop demonstrated a 49.6% reduction in resistance torque at a 45° penetration angle and 0.33 r/min sampling speed.
  • Further testing showed a 28.8% decrease in resistance torque at a 60° penetration angle and 0.22 r/min sampling speed compared to a prototype.

Conclusions:

  • The biomimetic design based on Himalayan marmot claws effectively reduces sampling resistance.
  • This optimized bionic scoop design has significant potential for enhancing soil sampling efficiency in Mars exploration.