Biomimicry
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Chameleon's Tongue Gives Up Secrets

Chameleon's Tongue Gives Up Secrets | Biomimicry | Scoop.it

"Scientists have built a mathematical model to explain the secrets of the chameleon's extraordinary tongue. It took more than 20 equations to capture mathematically how the reptile's tongue unravels at very high speed to snare insects. The model explains the mechanics of the animal's tongue and the inherent energy build-up and rapid release. British researchers say the insights will be useful in biomimetics - copying from nature in engineering and design."

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The Stickiness of Frog Tongues

The Stickiness of Frog Tongues | Biomimicry | Scoop.it
The frog looks nearly asleep, when suddenly its tongue darts out, snaring an unsuspecting insect. What makes its tongue so sticky? Find out...
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A Robotic "Hand" Based on the Chameleon's Tongue

A Robotic "Hand" Based on the Chameleon's Tongue | Biomimicry | Scoop.it
Mechanical robot grippers are designed to grasp specific shapes. This is perfect for assembly lines, where every object is the same. But what if a more flexible solution were required? Think of a conveyor belt covered with random junk that needed to be sorted for recycling:

Imagine a robot hand that needs to pick up a can, a glass dish, a plastic bottle cap, a paper clip, et cetera, all on the fly.

 

Enter the FlexShapeGripper, which eschews metal claws for a silicone bag filled with fluid [...] Fascinatingly, the FlexShapeGripper was inspired by a lizard: the chameleon is able to catch a variety of different insects by putting its tongue over the respective prey and securely enclosing it. The FlexShapeGripper uses this principle to grip the widest range of objects in a form-fitting manner. Using its elastic silicone cap, it can even pick up several objects in a single gripping process and put them down together, without the need for a manual conversion." 

Miguel Prazeres's insight:

Check out the accompanying video.

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Bats Use Blood to Reshape Tongue for Feeding

Bats Use Blood to Reshape Tongue for Feeding | Biomimicry | Scoop.it
Brown University scientists have found that a species of bat uses blood flow to reshape its tongue while feeding. The quick dynamic action makes the tongue an effective “mop” for nectar and could even inspire new industrial designs.
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