TY - JOUR
T1 - A light-driven artificial flytrap
AU - Wani, Owies M.
AU - Zeng, Hao
AU - Priimagi, Arri
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.
PY - 2017/5/23
Y1 - 2017/5/23
N2 - The sophistication, complexity and intelligence of biological systems is a continuous source of inspiration for mankind. Mimicking the natural intelligence to devise tiny systems that are capable of self-regulated, autonomous action to, for example, distinguish different targets, remains among the grand challenges in biomimetic micro-robotics. Herein, we demonstrate an autonomous soft device, a light-driven flytrap, that uses optical feedback to trigger photomechanical actuation. The design is based on light-responsive liquid-crystal elastomer, fabricated onto the tip of an optical fibre, which acts as a power source and serves as a contactless probe that senses the environment. Mimicking natural flytraps, this artificial flytrap is capable of autonomous closure and object recognition. It enables self-regulated actuation within the fibre-sized architecture, thus opening up avenues towards soft, autonomous small-scale devices.
AB - The sophistication, complexity and intelligence of biological systems is a continuous source of inspiration for mankind. Mimicking the natural intelligence to devise tiny systems that are capable of self-regulated, autonomous action to, for example, distinguish different targets, remains among the grand challenges in biomimetic micro-robotics. Herein, we demonstrate an autonomous soft device, a light-driven flytrap, that uses optical feedback to trigger photomechanical actuation. The design is based on light-responsive liquid-crystal elastomer, fabricated onto the tip of an optical fibre, which acts as a power source and serves as a contactless probe that senses the environment. Mimicking natural flytraps, this artificial flytrap is capable of autonomous closure and object recognition. It enables self-regulated actuation within the fibre-sized architecture, thus opening up avenues towards soft, autonomous small-scale devices.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85019574584&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://researchportal.tuni.fi/en/publications/3ce0aa29-c76e-4075-8130-2060b790daeb
U2 - 10.1038/ncomms15546
DO - 10.1038/ncomms15546
M3 - Article
C2 - 28534872
AN - SCOPUS:85019574584
SN - 2041-1723
VL - 8
JO - Nature Communications
JF - Nature Communications
M1 - 15546
ER -