Novel Motion Sequences in Plant-Inspired Robotics: Combining Inspirations from Snap-Trapping in Two Plant Species into an Artificial Venus Flytrap Demonstrator.

The field of plant-inspired robotics is based on principles underlying the movements and attachment and adaptability strategies of plants, which together with their materials systems serve as concept generators. The transference of the functions and underlying structural principles of plants thus enables the development of novel life-like technical materials systems. For example, principles involved in the hinge-less movements of carnivorous snap-trap plants and climbing plants can be used in technical applications. A combination of the snap-trap motion of two plant species (Aldrovanda vesiculosa and Dionaea muscipula) has led to the creation of a novel motion sequence for plant-inspired robotics in an artificial Venus flytrap system, the Venus Flyflap. The novel motion pattern of Venus Flyflap lobes has been characterized by using four state-of-the-art actuation systems. A kinematic analysis of the individual phases of the new motion cycle has been performed by utilizing precise pneumatic actuation. Contactless magnetic actuation augments lobe motion into energy-efficient resonance-like oscillatory motion. The use of environmentally driven actuator materials has allowed autonomous motion generation via changes in environmental conditions. Measurement of the energy required for the differently actuated movements has shown that the Venus Flyflap is not only faster than the biological models in its closing movement, but also requires less energy in certain cases for the execution of this movement.

Artificial Venus Flytraps: A Research Review and Outlook on Their Importance for Novel Bioinspired Materials Systems.

Bioinspired and biomimetic soft machines rely on functions and working principles that have been abstracted from biology but that have evolved over 3.5 billion years. So far, few examples from the huge pool of natural models have been examined and transferred to technical applications. Like living organisms, subsequent generations of soft machines will autonomously respond, sense, and adapt to the environment. Plants as concept generators remain relatively unexplored in biomimetic approaches to robotics and related technologies, despite being able to grow, and continuously adapt in response to environmental stimuli. In this research review, we highlight recent developments in plant-inspired soft machine systems based on movement principles. We focus on inspirations taken from fast active movements in the carnivorous Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) and compare current developments in artificial Venus flytraps with their biological role model. The advantages and disadvantages of current systems are also analyzed and discussed, and a new state-of-the-art autonomous system is derived. Incorporation of the basic structural and functional principles of the Venus flytrap into novel autonomous applications in the field of robotics not only will inspire further plant-inspired biomimetic developments but might also advance contemporary plant-inspired robots, leading to fully autonomous systems utilizing bioinspired working concepts.