Neuro-IT Workshop

Leuven, December 3, 2002

BIOLOCH
BIO-mimetic structures for LOComotion in the Human body
http://www.ics.forth.gr/bioloch

Paolo Dario
Project Coordinator
 IST-2001-34181 - BIOLOCH
BIO-mimetic structures for LOComotion
in the Human body
List of Principal Investigators of BIOLOCH
Starting date: May 1, 2002  
Project Co-ordinator: Prof. Paolo Dario
End date: April 30, 2005 Project Manager: Dr. Arianna Menciassi
Project Duration: 36 months
Technical Team Co-ordinators
Funding:
SSSA: Prof. Paolo Dario
 Total costs: € 1.654.570 UBAH Mech Eng : Prof. Julian Vincent
 Community Funding: € 1.503.900 UniPi: Prof. Danilo De Rossi
FORTH : Dr. Dimitris Tsakiris
UoT : Prof. Marc Schurr
Partners:
 Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (SSSA) - Pisa
(I) – Co-ordinator
 University of Bath, Department of Project Coordinator: Prof. Paolo Dario
Mechanical Engineering (UBAH Mech Eng) –
United Kingdom CRIM Lab - Scuola Superiore S. Anna
 Centro "E. Piaggio", Faculty of Engineering, Piazza Martiri della Libertà, 33
University of Pisa (UniPi) - Italy
 FORTH - Foundation for Research and
56127 PISA (ITALY)
Technology – Hellas (FORTH) - Greece Tel. +39-050-883400 / +39-050-883401
 University of Tuebingen, Section for Fax. +39-050-883402
minimally invasive surgery (UoT) - Germany
e-mail: dario@mail-arts.sssup.it
web site: http://www-crim.sssup.it

Project funded by the Future and Emerging Technologies arm of the IST Programme
Thematic Priorities: IST-2001-VI.2.3
 WHAT is the OBJECTIVE of the project

Objective
• To understand motion and
perception systems of lower animal
forms
• To design and fabricate mini- and
micro-machines inspired by such
biological systems.

Long term goal

A new generation of autonomous smart
machines with:
• life-like interaction with the environment
• performance comparable to the animals
by which they are inspired.

Envisaged application(s)
The "inspection" problem in
medicine ( microendoscopy); and…
“Rescue” micro-robotics;
Underground (space?) exploration
 HOW we plan to ADDRESS the
objectives

Locomotion models Nereis Earthworm

Adhesion models Setae

Suction
friction

Enabling
Technologies

Underground
Applications Endoscopy Rescue
locomotion
 Taxonomy of locomotion mechanisms
and their classification according to
engineering principles (1/3)
Adhesion by: suction, friction, biological glue, van der Waals
force

Force Ease of Type of Stability

replication surface
Suction 2 5 Smooth 2
Friction 3 5 Rough 4
Biological Glue 1 2 Both 1
Van der Waals 5 1 Smooth 3
 Taxonomy of locomotion mechanisms
and their classification according to
engineering principles (2/3)
Locomotion by: paddle-worm, pedal, earthworm/peristaltic,
serpentine, rectilinear-serpentine

scale muscles
 Taxonomy of locomotion mechanisms
and their classification according to
engineering principles (3/3)
Energy Ease
Ease of
of artificial
artificial
consumption Contact surface Stability replication and
control

Pedal 1 Rough, wet 5 5

Peristlatic 1 Rough, wet 5 4

Contract-anchor- 1 Rough, wet 5 4

extend
Serpentine 4 Rough 5 2

Rectilinear 3 Flat 5 2

Concertina 3 Not enough frictional 5 2

Sidewinding 4 Not rigid (sandy soil) 5 1

Polypedal (4 legs) 5 All 3 1

Polypedal (6 legs) 2 All 4 2

Earthworm: an example of biological
perception-reaction mechanism
 The nervous system of the earthworm is "segmented"
just like the rest of the body
 the "brain" is located above the pharynx and is
connected to the first ventral ganglion
 the brain is important for movement:
 if the brain of the earthworm is removed, the
earthworm will move continuously;
 if the first ventral ganglion is removed, the
earthworm will stop eating and will not dig.

Each segmented ganglion gets

sensory information from only a
local region of its body and
controls muscles only in this local
region. Earthworms have touch,
light, vibration and chemical
receptors all along the entire body
surface.
 Medical specifications
Description of force parameters of the colonic tract in
interaction with endoscopic devices and techniques

Mesenteric hazards: Parameters for

• Tears walking inside the colon
• Ruptures • Forces
• Wall elasiticity
Force / Step ratio, „grasping leg“, muscular attachment
1,8

1,6

1,4

1,2 Force / step ratio

Mesenteric resistance 1
1 cm
1.5 cm

Forcepattern
patternoverview
overview 2 cm Device advancement
Force
0,8
Colonic wall resistance 0,6
2.5 cm
forces
0,4

0,2

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Parameters for
Colonic creeping inside
hazards the colon
• Perforation • With tail
• Without tail
 Design and fabrication of bio-inspired
adhesion mechanisms

Friction is enhanced when

the compliant tips are
pushed outward

(a) normal configuration; (b) flow in; (c) flow out

Cylinder of
polimeric
material
(Nylon)

Aluminium hooks are used

to create a special wax
When sliding part moves upward: mould to fill with Epotex
a vacuum is generated (sucker can (epoxy bicomponent
work); the membrane is stretched resin).
(hooks can grasp the tissue)
 Model and simulation of the polychaete
locomotion mechanism
The polychaete (paddle-worm) can move in
water or mud environments thanks to a
sinusoidal motion joined with a passive
motion of lateral paddles. The motion
waves are perpendicular to the locomotion
direction. The friction between the surface
and the paddles is a parameter which can
be adjusted.
 Model and simulation of the
inchworm/peristaltic locomotion mechanism

Trajectory of a generic point on the surface

   2 r0 x of the Earthworm expressed as % of the
r  1 
2
x ,t
  r0 x  r x ,t  length
 x x ,t  1

x x ,t Small radial displacements (<0.5%)
corresponds to long axial displacements
(>5%), which is optimal for locomotion
Enabling technologies: design paradigm
 Enabling technologies: an outline on
smart actuators
Swimming and cilia robotic
ion-polymer metal
composites (IPMC) structures

Smart actuators
for active
membranes

Active membrane
Shape memory gel submitted
to coiled between 50°C and
room temperature

Shape memory pol.

 Enabling technologies: sensing and
control

ATTACHMENT yes
ATTACHMENT SENSATION PROPULSION

no

LOOP

Figure B4.1 –Perception – reaction loop

F
3 axis force
microsensor
Section of sensor 1 mm
3D model
 Preliminary technological implementations

Friction-based minirobot: two counter

motors, an eccentric mass,
Artificial paddle-worm
asymmetrical skates

IPMC actuator for

hook protruding

Inchworm locomotion with “biological” glue

 WHAT would be the IMPACT of the
project

The main expected results of BIOLOCH are new

design paradigms and engineering models for an
entirely new generation of biomimetic mini- and
micro-machines able to navigate in tortuous and
“soft” environments in a life-like manner.

To exploit a sophisticated biomimetic hardware

structure (incorporating complex mechanisms,
sensors, actuators and embedded signal processing)
to explore advanced biomimetic control strategies.
 Proposed VISIONARY ACTIONS for a
future FET program in the 6FP
ULTER-ENDOensemble
Collaborative - Ultimate of Microendoscopy
micro-burrowers (EoI (proposal
– IP) for
The objective
visionary of thefrom
actions starting project is to incorporate
the BIOLOCH Project?) in
Autonomous
microendoscopesmicro-burrowers,
technologiesable and to operate
tools whichinwould
a collaborative
allow a
manner in the
revolution pursuit
rather thatofana common
evolutiongoal underground.
of current endoscopes and
Such a group procedures…
therapeutic of micro-burrowers couldthe
Decreasing be valuable in the context
size of endoscopic
ofdevices
searchdownand torescue (S&R) operations
1-2 millimeter for people
(in diameter) by keepingtrapped
the in
buildings, mines, etc.,ofwhich
same functionalities may have
traditional collapseda as
tools involves a result
dramatic of
effort
earthquakes, attacks,capabilities,
in terms of design etc. Thesefabrication
sensor-carrying robots could
technologies, and be
sent to explore
integration this underground,
techniques. This approach unstructured environment,
requires a strong activity
possibly having to
which involves dig and
basic through rubble,
applied in order
research withtonogain access to
incremental
victims, structures
but totally innovative or equipment.
features: The solutions that biological
organisms (e.g. ants, bees) have developed for communication,
coordination, cooperative
the wireless localization
“super”pill and theand planning,
wired could provide
brain -endoscope
valuable insights in such an endeavor.