{"id":23535,"date":"2018-03-27T15:03:55","date_gmt":"2018-03-27T19:03:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/?p=23535"},"modified":"2022-03-16T12:06:57","modified_gmt":"2022-03-16T16:06:57","slug":"earwig-wings-inspire-3d-origami-structures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/earwig-wings-inspire-3d-origami-structures\/","title":{"rendered":"Earwig\u2019s Wings Inspire 3D Origami-Like Structures"},"content":{"rendered":"

Inspired by the wings of an earwig, which open and fold like an origami, researchers from ETH Zurich, Switzerland, and Purdue University have developed a <\/span>3D structure<\/span><\/a> that operates on the same principle. This breakthrough, according to the researchers, has real world applications, even in space.<\/span><\/p>\n

Led by <\/span>Jakob Faber<\/span><\/a>, a postdoctoral scientist at ETH\u2019s research group, <\/span>Complex Materials<\/span><\/a>, the study is published in the journal <\/span>Science<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

Two other scientists — <\/span>Andr\u00e9 Studart<\/span><\/a>, a professor and head of Complex Materials at ETH, and <\/span>Andres Arrieta<\/span><\/a>, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Purdue University — were involved in the study.<\/span><\/p>\n

The inspiration<\/b><\/h2>\n

The earwig\u2019s wings are a marvel of origami in nature. <\/span><\/p>\n

When the wings open, they are 10 times larger than when closed. This makes it one of the highest folding ratios in the animal kingdom. While the size of the open wings allows the earwig to fly, the wing\u2019s ability to retract so significantly makes it possible for the insect to squeeze into tight spaces without damaging its wings. <\/span><\/p>\n

The wing\u2019s design is also unique in another aspect. When open, the wing is locked and stays rigid without any muscular support on the insect\u2019s part. When it comes to folding, a mere \u201cclick\u201d is enough without the need for muscular actuation. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe earwig came to our attention because it was previously observed by biologists that its folding pattern could do amazing things,\u201d said Faber. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, nobody fully understood what was happening on a mechanical level. Thus, these special functions were also never embedded in man-made folding structures, raising our curiosity of how we could do so.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The study<\/b><\/h2>\n

After studying the complexity of the earwig\u2019s wings, Faber and his team have now successfully created an artificial structure that mimics the functions of the origami-like wings.<\/span><\/p>\n

The researchers first performed a computer simulation of the wing\u2019s function, so they could analyze its structure and function. <\/span><\/p>\n

They found that if the wing were to operate on the classical origami principle, which they described as \u201cusing rigid, straight folds with an angular sum of 360 degrees at their intersections,\u201d the maximum folding ratio would just be a third of the wing\u2019s size. <\/span><\/p>\n

The 10-times high folding ratio of the earwig\u2019s wing, they concluded, lies in the elastic folds of the earwig\u2019s wing, which is designed to operate either an extensional or rotational spring. <\/span><\/p>\n

They also determined that it was the joints in the wing, made from layers of a special elastic biopolymer called resilin, and their arrangement and thickness that dictate the spring type. In some cases, they found, both the extensional and rotational functions of the wing are carried out by the the same joint.<\/span><\/p>\n

The researchers also studied the central mid-wing joint, which is the point in the wing that locks or stabilizes the wing when open or closed.<\/span><\/p>\n