Home > Survey of Biomimetics Research and Its Potential Applications to Hardware of Mobile Electronic Communication Devices
Survey of Biomimetics
Research and Its Potential Applications to Hardware of Mobile Electronic
Communication Devices
Robotics and Automation Lab (RAL). Tsinghua University
Feb. 08th. 2007
INDEX
Biomimetics seeks to transcend our biological nature by replacing biological parts with artificial parts ("deflesh"), or by translating the human mind into information in a computer (Uploading). These processes are naturally highly speculative so far, since we are still far from this technological level. However, in the field of connecting artificial limbs and other systems to nerves, some promising advances have already taken place or seem probable in the not far future.
Biomimetics, also known as Bionics ( a term coined by an American air force officer in 1958), Biognosis, and Biomimicry, has been applied to a number of fields from political science to car design to computer science (cybernetics, swarm intelligence, artificial neurons and artificial neural networks are all derived from biomimetic principles). Generally there are three areas in biology after which technological solutions can be modeled:
In the near future, consumers should expect to see increased use of biomimetics to improve efficiency of human designed products and systems through the application of pragmatic natural solutions developed by evolution.
Some researcher said that as mobile phones become more like handheld computers and consumers spend as much as eight to 10 hours a day talking, texting and using the Web on these devices. Recent developments in the area of fabrication techniques offer the opportunity to create a large variety of functional devices (e.g., phone, video, net, and the control for personal date). Practical applications require integration of such devices into compact and robust system. Bionics technology has received significant research and development attention for its applications in design and fabrication. It’s quite possible to apply it into communication devices.
In this paper, it gave a new ideal about the hardware of mobile electronic communication devices. With the states-of-art researches and the most interesting research topics to Nokia, it introduced the bio-material, bio-mechanism, and bio-function respectively. With these techniques, it maybe brings the new conception of the mobile electronic communication devices.
Plants
and animals have evolved a vast diversity of structures through strategies
that often are very different from those used by the materials engineer.
These naturally fabricated bioceramics are invariably composites and
are assembled from readily available materials, usually in aqueous media,
at ambient conditions, and to net shape, see Fig 1.
Bioceramics often exhibit a fine-scale microstructure with an absence
of porosity or other flaws and with unusual crystal habits and morphologies.[1]
Fig 1 comparison of biological ceramic structures
Materials like nacre (mother-of-pearl) from mollusk shells have an esthetic decoration, smooth surface finish, high strength, and remarkable fracture toughness. Nacre’s rigidity is twice more than common aragonite, and its tenacity is 1000 times more than common aragonite. So, the biomimetic research on this material is hot since last century.
The
investigations of crystal structure of nacre from bivalve shell carried
out by Hengde Li and Qingling Feng in Tsinghua University[2],
found that there is a domain structure of crystal orientation in the
nacre. From the crack morphologies, it is found that the crack deflection,
fibre pull-out and organic matrix bridging are the three main toughening
mechanisms acting on nacre. The organic matrix plays an important role
in the toughening of this biological composite. According to the structure
mechanism, artificial micro-assembly metal/titanium carbide (TiC) multilayered
thin films were synthesized, in which most of the multiplayer hardness
was greater than the rule of mixture values. With this meathod, manganese
oxide nano-scale mesophases with a layered structure are successfully
fabricated.
Fig 2 Crystal Orientation in Nacre
Fig 3 Aragonite of Nacre
in Red Abalone
Fig 4 HRTEM Graphic of TiC/Al Multilayered Films
The
way to biologically fabricate this kind of biomimetic material is the
so-called biomineralization technology. And one example is shown in Fig 5[1].
Fig 5 Self-assembling Process in Biomineralization
Monolayer films, self-assembling monolayer films, and self-assembling amphiphilic structures in aqueous solution form periodic organic interfaces, or supramolecular templates, suitable for influencing mineral deposition. As shown in Fig 5, supramolecular templates can control ceramic growth. A: Self-assembled monolayer formed by covalent attachment of bifunctional surfactants to inorganic or organic substrates offer the possibility of constructing ordered surfaces with charged polar groups, which may be used as substrates for growth of ceramic thin films. B: crystallization of CdSe in AOT-water-heptane microemulsions or iron oxyhydroxides in AOT-reversed micelles offers precise control of crystal size and shape, depending on nature of organic microphase. C: Lamellar glasses were grown by introducing the sol-gel precursor, CH3Si(OCH3) 3,between the organic lamellae. Interlayer diffusion of ammonia then induced hydrolysis of the silicon reagent with subsequent polymerization of the resulting inorganic monomer[73].
And current experimental method to fabricate biomimetic nacre polymer is usually chemical alloy. Yongli, Zhang invented the “pressure infiltration” technique to make SiC-Al FGM.[3]
Spider
silk is one of the strongest known natural materials with a high toughness.
The amount of energy required to break spider silk is three times larger
than Kevlar and more than 25 times larger than steel[4].
Fig 6 spider silk
It is reported that the amino acid sequence of two different fibrous proteins (fibroins) builds up the natural silk fibers[5]. In the secondary structure of these proteins, regions of the alternating gly-ala sequences organize into beta sheets which are crystalline structures held together by hydrogen bonds. This is responsible for the high toughness of the spider silk. The glycine rich regions are less ordered and responsible for the elastic properties of the silk. Unlike native spider silk fibers, regenerated spider silk is first harvested from spiders, then dissolved into solvents and re-spun through an orifice. Mechanical properties, such as toughness of the regenerated silk rely largely on the assembling process of the proteins during the drying process. The tensile strength of the native silk is found to be 3 times larger then the regenerated spider silk[6].
Spider drag-line silk harvested from the golden orb weaving spider N. Clavipes was obtained based on a traditional forced silking technique. The silk was dissolved in a hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) solution with a ratio of either 1% w/w or 0.5% w/w.
Polymeric materials such as Polymethylsiloxane (PDMS) and hydrogel have been used to fabricate micromechanical components, such as microfluidic valves and micropump diaphragms[74][75].
Skeletal materials found in living organisms offer a variety of complex and subtle architectures with various specific properties that inspired material scientists in physics and chemistry. An essential characteristic of biological materials is their hierarchical organization, at the nanometer-to millimeter scale, or more, allowing responses to solicitations at all these levels.
Human compact bone, more representative of vertebrates, associates a protein matrix to calcium phosphate crystals. These fibrillar networks often present similar three-dimensional arrangements. Interpreting the origin of the series of nested arcs observed, using transmission electron microscopy, in decalcified sections of these tissues, allowed to introduce the notion of ‘liquid crystalline biological analogue’[7].
The underlying hypothesis is that some major biological macromolecules possess liquid crystalline assembly properties. Such self-assemblies would appear, during morphogenesis, at different moments and in different compartments, when molecular concentrations reach critical levels. Arc concerned collagen and chitin in extra cellular matrices, but also cellulose in plant cell walls and DNA in certain chromosomes. Many works, performed in vitro with purified biological macromolecules in concentrated states, have validated the liquid crystalline hypothesis[8].
Mineralized
compact bone is composed of specialized cells, a dense organic matrix,
and inorganic phosphate ions. Skeletal tissues have three functions,
a mechanic one supporting the body weight, a protective one of essential
body organs, a metabolic one as reservoir of mineral ions, mostly calcium
and phosphate.
Fig 7 Collagen Matrix in Compact Bone Osteons
Two alternate directions of fibrils (A) will give rise in polarized light microscopy either to dark-type (A’) or bright-type (A’’) osteons as a function of their marked transverse or longitudinal orientation with respect to the osteon axis.
Multidirections of fibrils (B) regularly changing from a small and constant angle will give rise, in polarised light microscopy, to intermediate-typeosteons (B’) ; bar = 5 μm.
(C,D)Decalcified compact bone osteons observed in thin sections. Two situations exist with either: two main directions of collagen fibrils, here appearing transverse or normal to the section plane (C), or regularly varying directions of collagen fibrils that form arced patterns in oblique view with respect to the osteon axis (D). TEM, bar = 0.1 μm.
Geometric
analysis demonstrates that the three dimensional organisation of major
biological macro- molecules is analogous to that of molecules in cholesteric
liquid crystals. The formation of connective tissues such as compact
bones is thus suggested, at initial stages of their elaboration, to
imply liquid crystalline states of matter[9].
Fig 8 Collagen Fibrils Directions in Compact Bone Osteons
The ability to orientate the formation of the mineral through specific polypeptide sequences is currently investigated by material science chemists. At a supramolecular level, macromolecules self assemble into an organized scaffold ordered at different scales, which serves as a macroscopic mould for the growth of a reinforcing mineral phase. The possibility to reproduce compact and ordered matrices experimentally is interesting for two purposes:
• to produce new materials, close to biological tissue architectures, proposed as soft or hard tissue substitutes;
• to inform on in vitro cell expression in response to cell interaction in a three-dimensional context.
In
the year 2000 a new rapid prototyping (RP) technology was developed
at the Freiburg Materials Research Center to meet the demands for desktop
fabrication of scaffolds useful in tissue engineering. A key feature
of this RP technology is the three dimensional (3D) dispensing of liquids
and pastes in liquid media. In contrast to conventional RP systems,
mainly focused on melt processing, the 3D dispensing RP process (3D
plotting) can apply a much larger variety of synthetic as well as natural
materials, including aqueous solutions and pastes to fabricate scaffolds
for application in tissue engineering. Hydrogel scaffolds with a designed
external shape and a well-defined internal pore structure were prepared
by this RP process. Surface coating and pore formation were achieved
to facilitate cell adhesion and cell growth. The versatile application
potential of new hydrogel scaffolds was demonstrated in cell culture[10][76].
Fig 9 Rapid Prototyping
Technology for Bone Scaffold Fabrication
Fig 10 Image of an Agar Scaffold.(side view & top view)
To gain such rich tactile information in real time, the human tactile skin has a variety of specialized structures (Fig 11) such as fast responding Meissner’s and Pacinian corpuscles for sensing vibration and touch, slow Ruffini endings and Merkel’s discs for sensing deformation and touch, Kraus’ end bulb thermoreceptors for temperature sensing, and hair follicles for sensing flow, proximity, and touch[11].
As
shown in the figure 11, schematic cross-section of biological skin,
showing Meissner’s, Pacinian, and Ruffini corpuscles as well as Merkel’s
discs for sensing deformation and touch, thermoreceptors for sensing
temperature, as well as hair cilia and follicles for sensing flow and
touch.
Fig 11 Schematic Cross-section of Biological Skin
Sensory
information of human skin for feeling materials and determining many
of their physical properties is provided by sensors in the skin. This
tactile information is related to the sense of touch, one of the five
senses including sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Presently, many researchers
are attempting to apply the five senses to intelligent robot systems.
In particular, many kinds of tactile sensors combining small force sensors
have been introduced for intelligent robots, tele-operational manipulators,
and haptic interfaces. These tactile sensors, which are capable of detecting
contact force, vibration, texture, and temperature, can be recognized
as the next generation information collection system. Future applications
of engineered tactile sensors include robotics in medicine for minimally
invasive and microsurgeries, military uses for dangerous and delicate
tasks, and automation of industry. Some tactile sensors and small force
sensors using microelectro mechanical systems (MEMS) technology have
been introduced. MEMS tactile sensing work has mainly focused on silicon-based
sensors that use piezoresistive[12][13][77]
or capacitive sensing[14][15].
These sensors have been realized with bulk and surface micromachining
methods. Polymer-based devices that use piezoelectric polymer films[16][17]
such as polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) for sensing have also been demonstrated.
Fig 12 Calibration System of Prototype Sensor
Scientist in Daejeon University Korea[18] developed an optical fiber force sensor and 3×3 sensor arrays, which are the first step toward realizing a tactile sensor using optical fiber sensors (FBG), as well as two kinds of transducers. The two types of transducers have different size and structure. One is applied to a large size force sensor and the other is applied to a small size force sensor.
Researchers in University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign[19][78] created a kind of polymer-based sensor skin with multiple independent sensing modalities, including the ability to sense the hardness, the thermal conductivity, the temperature, and the surface profile of an object. Unlike previous multimodal approaches based on FSRs, the presented multimodal polymer skin uses specialized sensing structures to perform various sensing functions, similar to the design of the human skin. The polymer MEMS skin offers the following combination of characteristics:
1. Mechanical flexibility and robustness.
2. Low fabrication complexity with the potential for continuous roll-to-roll fabrication.
3. Specialized sensing elements for sensing multiple physical phenomena grouped in sensor nodes.
4. Relatively low processing temperature (<350 ◦C).
5.
Improved strain transfer from membrane to strain gauges due to direct
deposition of sensors on polymer skin rather than on intermediate adhesive
layers[20].
Fig 13 sensory node incorporates
four distinct sensors and in the Skin Array
Fig 14 Photograph of Completed Skin in Flexed State
As have stated on the above, the research on biomimetic material broadly spread from animals’ special material attributes to plant or minerals’ remarkable traits. Scientists get inspirations from nature lives and fabricate device or materials to mimetic their physical material structure to obtain satisfied instruments. Clearly, the created or discovered materials have greatly propelled society development and verify social lives.
Materials miming cell (Nacre), spider silks, or human bone all aims at acquiring the good performances of materials, like rigidity, toughness, and lightness. The bionic skin material exhibits good function in sensing contact force, vibration, texture, and temperature, etc.
As for the communication device, or rather cell phone, there are many aspects connecting to material attributes, like crust, keyboard, idler wheel, antenna, screen, pen, etc. Concerning such components in cell phone, many material attributes should be paid with special attention: wearability, transparency, the ability to stretch and shrink, harmony or amity with human, sensitive, rigidity, and so on.
Materials used in crust not only require endurance to frequent abrasion and longer life, but also help remaining surface shining and fresh, as well as lighter and smooth, which are very important to fashionable cell phone.
Crust materials of cell phone have evolved from the primitive steel frame to plastic frame, and to the current synthetic plastic or ceramics with coating. With high tenacity, airproof, mechanical intension, resistance to chemical erosion and special handle feeling, it could be expected that synthetic materials with high advanced coating is the very promising pattern applied in the cell phone in the not far future.
The cell-inspired biomimetic material, like TiC/Al Multilayered Films, has esthetic decoration, smooth surface finish, high strength, and remarkable fracture toughness. So, the rigidity-style cell phone could adopt this material as crust.
The bone-inspired biomimetic material, Hydrogel scaffolds, showing strong rigidity with relatively much less weight, is a good material for cell phone’s crust. Especially, cell phone always pursues the trend of diminishing, lightening; such material best suits the crust of fashion-style cell phone.
There are two kinds of keyboard applied in current cell phone market: on-body keyboard, accessory keyboard or touch keyboard on screen.
a) on-body keyboard
On-body keyboard usually adopts soft rubber or plastic materials or both kinds’ combination.
The soft rubber is of low-cost and has no effect on touch points, but lacks rigidity. The words on the buttons would be abraded away.
Plastic material feels good, and not easily has words on it abraded away. However, it is still a little hard, and may damage touch points.
The combined pattern has both advantages, but cost much.
The spider-silk-inspired biomimetic material, Polymethylsiloxane (PDMS) and hydrogel show great toughness, and could endure countless abrasion, as well as has good hand feeling.
b) accessory keyboard
As is independent to cell phone, this kind of keyboard varies in shapes and materials. Many creative work could be done in this area. “Just Mobile” company in Taiwan used clothes and developed an infrared keyboard.
c) touch keyboard on screen
This keyboard is virtual instrument, and will be illustrated in the screen chapter.
Tactile sensor in the bionic skin material has good performance of detecting the hardness, the thermal conductivity, the temperature, and the surface profile of an object. If such material could be applied on the crust or screen of cell phone, the information detected from human finger or other resource could be used for special functions.
Bio-mechanism is one part of bionics. Researchers have paid much attention to the joint, the structure, the control, and the system of the mechanism with bionics, and they are all achieved great development in some fields.
Like all organisms mechanism are integrated with different joints. Joints are those amazing mechanical structures which allow the mechanism to move. They can be very simple, or very complicated. But like all machines, it is the moving parts that are the most susceptible to breaking down. Nature, through billions of years of trial and error, has produced effective solutions to innumerable complex real-world problems. It is proposed that a biomimetic joint can be produced to found a mechanism.
Years developing in this field, researchers have found diversified bionic joints.
a) Snake Joint
Biological snakes occupy a wide variety of ecological niches, ranging from arid desert to tropical jungle as well as swimming in rivers and oceans. Abandoning limbs and developing elongated spines has proved an effective survival strategy, allowing snakes to hunt underground in confined tunnels, above ground in grassy fields and up in the tree-tops, even falling in a controlled glide from one tree to the next. By attempting to build robots that emulate and perhaps match the capabilities of their biological counterparts, scientists created useful tools capable of carrying sensors, taking samples, and making physical changes in a wide variety of environments.[21][22][23][24][79]
As the name suggests, these robots possess multiple actuated joints thus multiple degrees of freedom. This gives them superior ability to flex, reach, and approach a huge volume in its workspace with infinite number of configurations.
There are three main schools of designs for these kinds of joint[25][81]: actuated universal joint, angular swivel joints and angular bevel joint, as them show in Fig 15, Fig 16, and Fig 17.
The
simplest design that first comes to mind is stacking simple revolute
joints as close as possible to each other and this led to the actuated
universal joint design. However these kinds of designs are bulky and
not appropriate of lots of serpentine robots applications.
Fig 15 actuated universal joint
The
second design that evolved was the angular swivel joints, which is present
in the JPL Serpentine Robot. These are much more compact two DOF joints.
The design is simple: starting with a sphere, then slicing the sphere
into two parts such that the slice plane is transverse to the south-north
pole axis of the sphere. Now rotate one half spheres with respect to
the other and notice the motion of the poles. Putting the snake bays
orthogonal to the sphere at the poles and coordinating the motors that
rotate those hemispheres leads to a two DOF joint.
Fig 16 angular swivel joints
The
last is the most compact joint design till now. The scientists work[80]
on optimizing the size, strength, reachability and flexibility of these
joint. And they have designed types of joints. The prototype was designed
and built using of the shelf components and using simple manufacturing
machinery.
Fig 17 angular bevel joint
There’s
another joint in snake robot, artificial pneumatic muscles.[26][81]
In pneumatic muscles, force is related to diameter and length, and the
actuation force can be much larger than the force generated by a cylinder
with the same diameter. However, a larger force requires greater length
of the muscle, and the force drops very quickly with contraction. The
actuation force of bellows also drops with expansion but not nearly
as dramatically as that of muscles. The pneumatic bellows developed
at the University of Michigan with their static characteristics are
shown in Fig
18.
Fig 18 Pneumatic bellows, extended and compressed.
The
designers of the serpentine robot MOIRA chose to place the cylinder-type
pneumatic actuators in the space of the joints. As a result, joints
take up even more space than segments. We believe this is a less advantageous
design because doing so increases the robot’s inert surface area Ai
and thus reduces the propulsion ratio Pr.
Fig 19
A simplify 1-DOF joint with bellows-type actuators.
Fig 20 The OmniTread serpentine robot developed at the lab.
Fig 19 shows a simplified 1-DOF joint and Fig 20 shows the OmniTread serpentine robot.
b) Vertebral Joint
Collectively,
the vertebral bodies comprise the boney building blocks of spine. They
are stacked on top of each other with a disc in between each one. All
of the vertebral bodies act as a support column to hold up the spine.
Vertebral column is assemblage of the vertebrae from the cranium through
the coccyx into a column; also called the spinal column, the backbone,
and the spine. This column supports about half of the weight of the
body, with the other half supported by the muscles. Movement in a vertebral
column includes flexion, extension, lateral flexion (bending), and rotation.
At the joints of the vertebral column, rocking, rotation and gliding
occur with gliding movements at the zygapophyseal (facet) joints. Movements
are freer in the cervical and lumbar regions. The thoracic region, connected
to the sternum by way of the ribs and costal cartilages, moves very
little with flexion being almost non-existent there.
Fig 21 the sketch of the vertebrae and artificial intervertebral discs
Intervertebral discs are located between adjacent vertebrae. These fibrocartilage discs act a very important role to form strong joints to allow the back to move and absorb spinal compression shock. Researchers can simulate the structure of the intervertebral discs (see Fig 21) to design the joint in the moving part to achieve the moves of flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation together. [27][82]
This joint is only used in the medicine now. But if popularize it into mechanical field, we maybe can get a new structure.
c) Bone Joint
Synovial
joint is one of most normal joint in animal body. It includes three
parts, articular surface, joint capsule, and joint cavity, see Fig 22.
The movement of the synovial joint is usually a round based on an axis,
such as bow-extend, constriction-spread, rotation, and cincture. To
alter the structure of the articular surface, the area different between
two articular surfaces, the thick and interval of the bursa, the tension
of the ligament, or the tension of the muscle around the joint, it can
generate the joint different agility and fixedness.[28][29][83]
Fig 22 synovial joint
The AC joint is located at the tip of the shoulder where the shoulder blade (scapula) and collarbone (clavicle) come together at a point—called the acromion--on the upper surface of the shoulder blade. These two bones are held together by tough, sinewy tissues—ligaments--that tie the bones together. One group of ligaments envelope the joint to form a capsule that covers the joint; these ligaments are termed the acromioclavicular ligaments. Another set of ligaments stabilize the shoulder by holding the clavicle in place by attaching it to a bony knob on the surface of the shoulder blade called the coracoid process. These ligaments are called the coracoclavicular ligaments.
There
is a pad of cartilage in the joint between the two bones that allows
them to move on each other, see Fig 23.
Cartilage is an elastic connective tissue that has slick qualities to
it which allows movement in the joint and protects the bones.
As a person moves his/her shoulder, the joint shifts slightly to allow
the shoulder to move freely but to continue to be supported by the clavicle.
Fig 23 AC joint
It’s also a good ideal for the mechanical joint at vertical linked mechanism. With this, the machine can get more free movement and intensity.
d) DNA Joint
A DNA sequence carries nearly all the genomic information of a living organism. DNA sequence analysis is of great significance for increasing our understanding of genomic functions. Scientists have paid great attention on the exploration of hidden structural information stored in the DNA sequence.
In
nature, a DNA sequence is represented by a set of four symbols. Thus,
it can be treated as being comprised by four channels of indicator sequences.
This 4-channel structure of the DNA sequence provides a way to introduce
the energy output maximization mechanism in time frequency domain, see Fig 24.
Fig 24 DNA joint
With the simply, ordinal, disciplinary joint, DNA composed complicated structures and hold huge information of living organism. In the big, complicated, and integrative system, this theory of the DNA joint maybe can get well application.
Another application is in the micro and nano manufacture field, and the mechanism can grow in terms of a potential rule, just as DNA does.
e) Ligament Joint
The Knee Joint is the largest and one of the most complex joints in the human body. It allows rotation about two axes and restrains motion about a third axis. Translation is controlled in all three planes. The knee bears loads that frequently exceed the body’s weight by two to three times and its location makes it prone to injury. The knee maintains normal alignment and stability with a complex arrangement of ligaments, menisci, and tendons. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) are the major intra-articular ligaments and are responsible for controlling and guiding the knee through most of its range of motion[30]. They stabilize the knee by crossing each other as they pass from the femur to the tibia thereby restricting motion[31].
Knee stability is provided by the complex interaction of ligaments and other soft-tissue restraints, geometry of the superior tibial surface and inferior femoral surface, active muscular control, and tibiofemoral contact forces generated during weight-bearing activities. The knee joint possesses very little inherent stability by virtue of its shape alone and is one of the most flexible joints in the body, making proper joint function unusually dependent on ligamentous restraint[32][33].
Fig 25 Knee Joint[34]
Fig 26 The Anatomical Structure of the Medical and Lateral Collateral Ligaments (MCL and LCL). Blue: The deep layer of MCL and LCL; Red: The medial epicondylar sulcus and the insertion of the deep layer of MCL a~d[35].
Currently many institutes are undertaking the mechanical and engineering (mechanical attributes like physical analysis under pre-load[36], joint stability[37], elongation, deformation and tension[38]) research on this area; French researchers tried to use high advanced computer and image technology to help ligament tissue reconstruction[39]. Researchers in North Carolina State University have created composite prosthetic ligaments using high performance textile materials[40], and researchers in Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt University also found new tissue-engineered ligament to replace the autograft for ACL reconstruction, together with new fabrication technology[41].
Fig 27 Robotic Assistant Surgical System[34]
Japanese scientists also made thorough research on surgical robot for Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) reconstruction.
It’s clear that current research on ligament joint has spread from biological to medical and material areas. Many research works, artificial product and patents[84][85][86][87][88][89][90][91] have been declared for use, which provides great potential for both industrial and personal life improvement.
Bionic structure refers to the similarity body or part of the organism fabricated with the study on the structure of them. It’s the prior work in bionic, and the invention of manipulator is in terms of human hand. And latter, scientists investigated the characteristic of acclimation of different structures, and manufactured fish robot, snake-link robot, bug robot, and so on. And the apery robot is the tiptop aim of the research.
a) Honeycomb structure
Honeycomb structure is one of the mostly early and widely used in the bionic field. And it is now widely used in sectors like building, communication, and automatic transmission equipment. Honeycomb structures are manufactured by using a variety of different materials, depending on the intended application and required characteristics, from paper or card, used for low strength and stiffness for low load applications, to high strength and stiffness for high performance applications. The strength of laminated or sandwich panels depends on the size of the panel, facing material used and the number or density of the cells within it.
Honeycomb is a low-density industrial bionic structure of all purposes, using aluminum foil, NOMEX aramid paper, insulated paper, kraft paper, glass cloth and chemical bonds to create hexagon honeycomb core upon various specifications. To alter the thickness, raw material and length of edge, it can generate honeycomb core of different density and nature.
Honeycomb sandwich structures are widely used as lightweight high-strength structural members in automobile and airplane components. Honeycomb sandwich structures typically consist of a hexagonally shaped core sandwiched between two flat laminate skins. The general design principles of these conventional honeycomb sandwich structures are well established .
Qianmu
Company introduces raw materials of aeronautics and astronautics, to
create aluminum honeycomb core of corrosion resistance. Its endurance
excels over common aluminum honeycomb core with more applied fields.
Its forms are divided into honeycomb block, honeycomb core incising
chip and honeycomb cores stretched block, see Fig 28.
[42]
Fig 28 aluminum honeycomb core
FBJD-12/1300
model full-automatic honeycomb paper board transfer line, developed
by Zhonghehengye, passed national-grade appraisal for new products which
is organized by National Light Industry Bureau. It’s widely used in
case, clapboard, and salver. The picture in Fig 29
is the clapboard of chemical fiber filament.[43]
Fig 926 clapboard of chemical fiber filament
An
all-laser-welded stainless-steel honeycomb structure was developed for
civil transports by Japanese researchers, see Fig 30.
This honeycomb panel consists of corrugated sheets, face sheets and
flanges. These flanges are important for manufacturing curved surface
panels and enable joining panels to panels in the field. A laser-welding
process was applied to manufacture this honeycomb panel. Laser welding
features highly controllable depth penetration, which eliminates welding
bead on the honeycomb panel external surface. Therefore, this panel
has high corrosion resistance and a sturdy appearance. This honeycomb
panel was employed in a prototype of a high-speed freight ship as a
national project. It is also being applied in a prototype commuter train
and is being examined by the East Japan Railway Company.
Fig 30 Schematic illustration of laser-welded stainless steel honeycomb panel
Honeycomb-type
RIS wall systems differ significantly from these conventional honeycombs
sandwich structures.
Fig 31 Honeycomb-type RIS wall system
The specific characteristics of honeycomb-type RIS wall systems do not allow the use of the general design principles established for conventional honeycomb structures. One of the main objectives of this study is to uncover similar design principles that govern the structural performance of this class of structures. Fig 31 provides a generic illustration of a honeycomb-type RIS wall system.[44]
Honeycomb
structure is also good ant the utilization of energy. In the German
Pavilion, the project makes use of waste clay pit to exhibit the high
efficiency of honeycomb structures in the utilization of energy, in
particular natural energy, see Fig 32.[45]
Fig 32 honeycomb structures in the German Pavilion
In Fig 33, Fig 34,
it is an aluminum 6160-T7 circular plate with an unconventional open-back
honeycomb structure of varying height. [46][47]
Fig 33
an open-back honeycomb structure with variable heights.
Fig 34 Manufactured platen representing the 300mm mirror.
The design challenges facing the interior auto designer are multifaceted. Constantly looking for ways to reduce manufacturing cost, complexity, and component weight, auto manufacturers expect improvements in dashboard manufacture. This 'exploded' diagram illustrates how different plastics are fabricated in various forms to accomplish the overall goals of light weight, strength, and reduced cost.
This
picture in Fig
35 is of a glove box door for
a Chrysler minivan. The component was molded from one piece using an
ABS resin and features a honeycomb construction (note the checkerboard
pattern). These ribs molded into the panel and back wall of the box
absorb energy and help the dash meet occupant-safety requirements. The
unique construction also reduced the weight by 50% compared to conventional
designs, and save both piece and retooling costs for the manufacturer.[48]
Fig 35 a glove box door for a Chrysler minivan
b) Back-propagation Neural Networks
Bionics
roof structure with impressive architecture adopting the ´ Sierpinski
triangles in situ was designed for the structural system of the new
ice-hockey stadium in Brezno, Slovakia. The design calculations and
assessments of the ultimate behaviour were based on the neural networks
theoretical approaches.[49]
Fig 36 Sierpinski triangles in situ.
The system is given by two bionics shells specified as primary and secondary ones below. Primary bionics shell with two vertical curvatures was applied as the main supporting system. The wind bracing system is implemented as secondary bionics shell.
The
primary bionics shell is supported by laminated wood arch girders with
two curvatures. The arch girders interacting with suspended secondary
spider-web-like bionics shell create impressive configuration of the
structure (see Fig
36, Fig 37).
Fig 37 View of the wooden shell roof.
The total span of the main arch girder is 55 800 mm, the width is constant along the whole span and is 200 mm. The depth of the main arch girder is variable along the span, from 1800mm in the end supports until 780mm in the middle of span.
The main arch girders are distanced 6000 mm. The secondary spider-web-like shell is configurated of wood rod members in bionics geometry and acts simultaneously as structural wind bracing.
Another
example is the design of the bascule bridge crossing the river March
between Slovakia and Austria, as shown in Fig 38, Fig 39.
The bridge with geometrical shape again on the basis of ´ Sierpi´nski
triangles is made of laminated wood. The span, width and height of the
bridge are 60, 14 and 16 m, respectively. The bridge is being prepared
for the erection.
Fig 38
View of the bascule bridge crossing river March between Slovakia and
Austria.
Fig 39 Panorama view of the bridge.
c) Fish Figure
Recently, scientists brought a design of new Mercedes-Benz bionic car inspired by fish body shape, see Fig 40. The task was to develop a full-size, roadworthy automobile on the basis of the boxfish contours – a fully equipped model for four occupants, with typical Mercedes attributes in terms of safety, comfort, design and day-to-day practicality, and equipped with all the technology necessary for minimal fuel consumption and the best possible environmental compatibility.[50] [51]
Boxfish
has its home in the coral reefs, lagoons and seaweed of the tropical
seas, where it has a great deal in common with cars in many respects.
It needs to conserve its strength and move with the least possible consumption
of energy, which requires powerful muscles and a streamlined shape.
It must withstand high pressures and protect its body during collisions,
which requires a rigid outer skin. And it needs to move in confined
spaces in its search for food, which requires good manoeuvrability.
Fig 40 The Mercedes-Benz bionic car
There is more to the boxfish than meets the eye: despite its angular body, it is an excellent swimmer whose cube-shaped structure is by no means a hindrance. On the contrary, the boxfish possesses unique characteristics and is a prime example of the ingenious inventions developed by nature over millions of years of evolution. The basic principle of this evolution is that nothing is superfluous and each part of the body has a purpose – and sometimes several at once.
Applied to automotive engineering, the boxfish is therefore an ideal example of rigidity and aerodynamics. Moreover, its rectangular anatomy is practically identical to the cross-section of a car body. And so the boxfish became the model for a so far unique automotive development project.
In addition to the boxfish-like basic shape, this result is made possible by a number of other aerodynamic features, e.g. rear wheels which are almost completely shrouded with sheets of plastic, flush-fitted door handles and the use of cameras instead of exterior mirrors.
d) Fish Structure
Fish don't have propellers and get along very well without them. They are highly efficient at propulsion, and highly maneuverable. Fish also do not disturb their environment needlessly.
Face it, fish are the best swimmers, everybody knows that. The tuna swims with high speed and high efficiency, the pike accelerates in a flash, and there is the moray that swims skillfully into narrow crevices. Someday a clever fish robot will swim skillfully and intelligently just like a fish. When it does, it will be due to patient investigation and observation of life in the sea and our ability to describe and mimic it.
If diving devices and commercial ships can apply some of the principles of fish locomotion, better underwater vehicles and more efficient propulsion systems can be made. Ships could deliver goods using less energy. Diving vehicles could travel more quickly without disturbing their objects of interest.
Underwater robots are widely used in the fields of ocean development, ocean investigation, and marine environmental protection. Requests for underwater operations to be carried out more efficiently have become pressing. In response, autonomous underwater robots have been planed, see Fig 41. In fact several test robots have already been developed. The need for higher efficiency and propulsive performance essentially requires fish-like performance.
Fig 41 bionic fish
e) Amoebae Structure:
The
term "amoebae" covers an enormously diverse group of protists
that have adopted a crawling like method of locomotion. The amoebae
that most people will be familiar with is Amoeba proteus or Chaos carolinense
the so called "giant amoebae". These have been studied since
the very early days of microscopy and attempts were made to gain information
on the popular problem of how cells move. [52]
Fig 42amoebae
The
cell of an amoeba is capable to sufficient conformations, especially
when it is stationary, resting. When a cell starts to move, it change
shapes rapidly, and it is hard (if even possible) to describe the form
of an amoeba in non-directed movement. However, when the cell starts
continuous, directed locomotion it becomes more stable. The shape of
such cell still undergoes minor changes, however it keeps general type
of organisation until it stops the movement or change the direction.
The form of actively, continuously moving cell is called the locomotive
form , first recognised by A.A.Schaeffer in 1926 and established by
F.C. Page in 70th.
Fig 43 A. stationary, nearly non-mobile cells; B. cells in non-directed movement; C. locomotive form
This non-remarkable and rather small amoeba is specially chosen to show radical difference of the locomotive form from others. [53]
The studies of Morpho-functional Machine begin to be promoted at some universities and research institutes. Those are the RM (random morphology machine) [54], the Metamorphic Robots by [55], Fractum by [56] and [57], and the evolution and adaptive morphology by [58], and 3D printer application for the robotic Lifeform by [59], and self-reconfigurable robot by [60].
Hiroshi
Yokoi, Wenwei Yu and Rolf Pfeifer in Hokkaido University and University
of Zurich designed the Amoeba-like-Robot using soft-mechanics and multi-agents
system to control the locomotion of the robot [61].
This robot has multi sensors, controllers and executers. Fig 45
shows the movement of Amoeba-like-Robot driven by shape memory alloy.
Fig 44 Hardware of Amoeba-like-Robot
Fig 45
Movement of Shape-Memory-alloy Net
Fig 46 Concept Model of Amoeba-like-Robot
Another branch is to research on the modular robot to realize the self-configuration. A self-reconfiguring robot consists of a set of identical modules that can dynamically and autonomously reconfigure in a variety of shapes, to best fit the terrain, environment, and task [62].
f) Wing structure
In
world, there’re many fly able animals, such as birds, insect, and
even some mammal. People have wanted to build a couple of wings to make
us fly for thousands of years. Hundred years ago, Orville and Wilbur
Wright were inspired by Otto Lilienthal, a German glider pioneer, see Fig 47.
Though he crashed to his death in 1896, the Wrights were amazed with
flight. They working out ways to control a glider's tendency to pitch
up and down, roll side to side, or yaw left and right. By the third
glider they built, they had solved most of these problems of steering
and stability. With the development of the technology, many small fly
able insect have be simulated to build micro fly robot.
Fig 47 Wright and the plane
Recently Israel is using nanotechnology to try to create a robot no bigger than a hornet that would be able to chase, photograph and kill its targets. The flying robot, nicknamed the "bionic hornet," would be able to navigate its way down narrow alleyways to target otherwise unreachable enemies such as rocket launchers.
It is one of several weapons being developed by scientists to combat militants. Others include super gloves that would give the user the strength of a "bionic man" and miniature sensors to detect suicide bombers.
Biological structures and constructions are always impressive due to their multiple functions and ability to comply with numerous, sometimes contradicting demands. Thus, high mechanical structural performances are achieved with a low expenditure of energy and material, reflected repeatedly and particularly in the world of insects.
The
advantage of ‘‘fiber-in -matrix materials’’ is that variable
combinations of a small number of basic components can be ‘‘designed’’
for a certain application.[63] The omnipotence of the material cuticle is demonstrated
by its use in generating durable drilling, chewing, and iting tools,
as well as highly flexible joint membranes and even ultra light flight
organs such as the wings of insects.
Fig 48 (a) Photograph of a dragonfly forewing showing the difference in wing vein and membrane arrangement of anterior and posterior wing parts. (b) Image of the hindwing of a locust shows a completely different wing construction.
g) Bone structure
Biology not only provides ideas for aerodynamic efficiency, but also gives impulses for innovative lightweight construction methods. The external armour-plating of the bone structures of the creatures show how nature achieves maximum strength with the minimum use of materials. Bone structures are always in accordance with the actual loads encountered.
In the case of the human thigh bone, for example, the position and strength of the bone matter is precisely right for the tensile and pressure loads which the limb must withstand. It is not only bone structures but also tree branches and roots that grow according to biological laws – a perfect lightweight construction strategy on the part of nature.
In
consultation with bionics experts, DaimlerChrysler researchers have
developed a computer-assisted process for transferring the growth principle
used by nature to automobile engineering, see Fig 49.
It is based on the SKO method (Soft Kill Option). Computer simulation
is used to configure body and suspension components in such a way that
the material in areas subject to lower loads can be made less resistant,
and can perhaps even be eliminated ("killed") completely,
while highly stressed areas are specifically reinforced. This bionic
SKO process enables an optimal component geometry to be identified which
meets the requirements of lightweight construction, safety and durability
in equal measure.[64]
Fig 49 the bionic bone structure
h) Micro-structure
Since
the coming of the biology anatomy, almost all kinds of organism have
been anatomized. Based on the anatomy, people found the micro structure
of biology, and it includes samdwich, matrix, helix, and pucker. The
picture in Fig
50 Fig 51
showed the structure of silk and the intestines of animal. It’s obviously
that multilevel fibrous delamination structure is a useful means for
organism to get high strength organic. So people can simulate this micro
structure to get high strength materials.[65]
Fig 50
the structure of silk
Fig 51 the structure of intestines
Wire
rope is a common used drive part in mine machine. There’re the section
structures of the wire ropes, which simulated the hiberarchy of silk,
see Fig
52. This technology can also
be used into the design of fiber.
Fig 52 the structure of wire rope
The control system is the tache between the structures and function. With different means of control, the same structure can bring different functions. Agile and changeability of the control theory draw it become no only the most abroad and embedded area in the bionic research, but also the most obstacle and challenge one. For years study on human control or other animal control, researchers have put forward some viable methods, such as artificial neural network (NN), genetic algorithm, behaviorism control, fuzzy control.
a) Artificial neural network
An Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is an information processing paradigm that is inspired by the way biological nervous systems, such as the brain, process information. Artificial Neural Networks are being touted as the wave of the future in computing. They are indeed self learning mechanisms which don't require the traditional skills of a programmer. Currently, only a few of these neuron-based structures, paradigms actually, are being used commercially. One particular structure, the feed forward, back-propagation network, is by far and away the most popular. Most of the other neural network structures represent models for "thinking" that are still being evolved in the laboratories. Yet, all of these networks are simply tools and as such the only real demand they make is that they require the network architect to learn how to use them.
The power of the human mind comes from the sheer numbers of these basic components and the multiple connections between them. It also comes from genetic programming and learning.
These artificial neural networks try to replicate only the most basic elements of this complicated, versatile, and powerful organism. They do it in a primitive way. But for the software engineer who is trying to solve problems, neural computing was never about replicating human brains. It is about machines and a new way to solve problems.
b) Genetic Algorithm
"Genetic algorithms are based on a biological metaphor: They view learning as a competition among a population of evolving candidate problem solutions. A 'fitness' function evaluates each solution to decide whether it will contribute to the next generation of solutions. Then, through operations analogous to gene transfer in sexual reproduction, the algorithm creates a new population of candidate solutions."[66][67]
Genetic Algorithm Viewer shows the functioning of a genetic algorithm. It permits the user to test the major parameters of a genetic algorithm.
Purely analytical methods widely proved their efficiency. They nevertheless suffer from a insurmountable weakness: Reality rarely obeys to those wonderful differentiable functions your professors used to show you.
Other methods, combining mathematical analysis and random search have appeared. Imagine you scatter small robots in a Mountainous landscape. Those robots can follow the steepest path they found. When a robot reaches a peak, it claims that it has found the optimum. This method is very efficient, but there's no proof that the optimum has been found, each robot can be blocked in a local optimum. This type of method only works with reduced search spaces.
c) Fuzzy Control
A fuzzy controller is a special fuzzy system that can be used as a controller component in a closed-loop system. The integration of a fuzzy system into a closed loop is shown. Special emphasis is put onto the transfer behaviour of fuzzy controllers, which is analyzed using different configurations of standard membership functions. An example for the design of a fuzzy controller for a loading crane is given. Finally, the module series is closed by a general discussion about the contribution of fuzzy control.[68]
Bionic systems simulated the behavior of ants, bees, or human community, and they can cooperate to finish some tasks. The system can be divided into parts with different functions, and designed by modularization. Then the people can select the modules they want, and assemble them into a system.
Multi-robot
systems simulated the behavior of ants, bees, or human community, and
they can cooperate to finish some tasks. RoboCup is an international
joint project to promote AI, robotics, and related field. Here, robots
will cooperate as people to play football, see Fig 53.
Fig 53 the RoboCup
A concept of the future communication device was put forth by Australian student Leah Heiss, who dreamed up an Empathy Vest to deal with "the development of empathy between individuals in remote spaces, the possibility of activity in the public realm being registered in the private realm, and the synaesthetic experience of spatial information." Personally, I have no idea what that means, but it’s sure that the future communication devices will quite different from now. With bio-mechanism technology, maybe we can product the new concept of the next communication device.
In this field, the joint, the structure, and the modularization can catch the most interesting of the device design.
The joint is one important part of the hardware of the mobile electronic communication devices. The most familiar joints used in mobile phone are very simply now, such as retroflex, slip, rotary. These joints have only one or two degrees of freedom. Also, the reliability of the connection is another problem. With the development of the devices, it demand them have more degree of freedom and with higher reliability. Studied on the biology field, researchers found that there are many perfect joints, which can achieve such goal. We can similarity them when design the devices.
Some suggestions:
The structure design is another very important task.
The whole structure can be mimed some animals or part of them to make the device much beautiful, comfortable, hard, small, and simple. Also it can be designed to fit the part of human body, such as hand, ear, and cheek.
Some suggestions:
The structure of every part is also very important. It can make the link and touch smooth and compact between two parts. Such as the distribution of the keys, it required them assembled in some sequence, and the structure compact and easy to use.
Some suggestions:
With the development of the fabrication, the communication device became extraordinary big and complex when it had much of functions. If the function parts were designed respectively, and cooperate with each other, the communication devices can be modularized and assembled discretional with the need of people.
Some suggestions:
With the bionic function, the devices can complete or partly achieve some functions of livings, such as thinking, apperceive, sport, or manipulation. Years before, scientists had developed the robot which can think as people, and even sometimes it can win people when played chess. It is possible to develop the capability of the mobile electronic communication devices with the bionic function.
The response to people is a necessary function in man-machine conversation field. The personal special device is required to be a special, one-to-one instrument, and it has the functions such as figure distinguish. Also it can be intelligent, and can know the thought of human when people given an injunction.
One of the important functions of bionic robot is walk on foot.
The
typical achievements of Japanese universities and institutes are ASIMO,
a kind of practical humanoid robot, and QRIO, a kind of entertainment
robot, see Fig
54. Humanoid research trends
in Japan are how humanoid robots avoid obstacles, move flexibly, cooperate
with people and express themselves.
Fig 54 ASIMO and QRIO
The
walking bug robot with 6 or 4 legs, designed by Fischertechnik with
bionics technology, is controlled by computer using the software LLWin,
and Intelligent Interface, see Fig 55.
It is driven by power motors, enabling the walking robot to move forwards
and backwards as well as to the left and right. The mobile walking robots
perceive their surroundings via various sensors. Additional requirements:
Intelligent Interface, software and the power supply.
Fig 55 bug robot
The mobile electronic communication devices can make people keep touch with each other and deal things expediently. But some handicapped can not use the present mobile phones. If the artificial ear can be founded and composed into such device, the deaf people can use it as us. The same to the other handicapped.
In this paper, we’ll give some survey and idea about bionic mobile electronic communication devices (BMCD). With the development of the technology and life, it thirsts for a new communication device. The BMCD is defined as a personal, portable, and intelligent mobile electronic communication instrument, which is designed with bionic means.
As a communication instrument, it has all the functions of traditional mobile phone. Such as the function of transmission and displaying the visual information, that can show images, text or other video information, play movies, news or other games. So it needs a screen for this function.
Another important traditional function is to transmit and display the hearing information. It used to call and play music. And so it needs a microphone and a speaker.
The two functions are both output function. And the traditional input is through the key board. So there’re some keys on the device.
Besides the traditional function, there’re many other functions for a communication devices.
Internet became more and more important part of life. People want to surf on the internet as any time as possible. So the device is required to communicate with internet. It needs to solve the communication technology. And many current mobile phones have this function already.
A communication device is also a recreation tool. The instrument should have the capability of playing Mp3, Mp4, video, and games. And the camera a main part of the mobile phone recently. Maybe the vidicon becomes another one.
Here introduce a new communication device which is different with nowaday, so it has some especial functions.
Health protection and advices feedback can be added into the device. It can detect the animal heat, blood pressure, blood sugar and other body information of the host, and give the advices for them. It also can detect the temper of the host. If he is sad, it can play some music or other actions to make the people happy by itself.
Talking with people can be another important part of the BMCD. It can be another input function of the device.
Self-protect is very useful. For example, it can figure distinguish to make sure the host and protect the information of him. When accepting a abruptly activate or destroy, it can close up itself. It also can have some functions for people to use it as a weapon, when he was at stake.
Besides these functions, the BMCD can have some choice parts, which for the especial people. Such as the device has an audiphone, it make the deaf people can use it also. If there is a function to translate the voice into text, or text into voice, the dummy also can “call” others with the BMCD. If there is a fingertip, which can transmit some electronic stimulate as Braille to the finger for different information, the blind people can also “read” messages. If the device has two parts, and the assistant part is very simply, maybe only have one key, the retarded people, children, or old people can use it to communicate with the people with the main part easily.
We
give the structure of the BMCD design as Fig 56.
(a) (b) (c)
Fig 56 the structure of the BMCD
The crust is asked to be easy to hold, fashion, exquisite. So it can use the bionic skin on the surface. It is good touch, skidproof and wearable. At the back of the BMCD, it can make some grooves to fit the hand of people. The figure can imitate the insect, which can catch the attention of isomerism with luminescence and especial color easily. In the Fig 56 (a), it imitated the body of bee. The orange part is the main keys, which can glitter when received a call.
On the crust, a finger distinguish machine is assembled. The gray part in the Fig 56 (a) is finger distinguish, which can detect the information.
The joint between the screen and the key board can simulate the snake joint or spine, which can easy to turn and credible. In Fig 56 (c), the joint between the secondary screen and key board is a bionic vertebral joint, which can flexion and rotation.
The structure of the key board can imitate the honeycomb, which is very compact, and fashion. See the Fig 56 (c).
As has stated in the paragraph above, the ligament joint has many advantage in flexible and stable connection. Here in the communication device structure, this special connecting pattern could be adopted.
Taking battery as an example, this device should always be designed as infinite detachable. With the flexible fiber as electrical power conveyance, and the tough structure as restrain frame, which is a little spacious and give battery certain room to move or oscillate, for battery to lie in. It could be easy to image the battery would be enabled with much flexibility and also the power supply is also guaranteed.
Retrospect the passed decade, cell phone has evolved from the initial brick-like mobile phone in 1990s, to small multi-functional appliance in early 2000s, and enters into a brand new era with speedy development of high technology and society expectation. It could expect that in the not far future, such kind of communication would be of infinite individuality and mighty function far beyond our imagination.In this chapter, series of brand-new primitive communication devices are presented. These devices, with whole name “Future Intelligence”, tempt to figure out the profile of cell phone in the near future, saying 10 years later. Aiming at 3 different potential groups and 1 circumstances—students, managers, the disabled, and in conference, 4 primitive devices would be explained respectively. (Maybe, other groups also need similar devices, which are already beyond this primitive proposal’s capability and would be discussed in the future.)
This device “Portable Pal” is designed for students, the permanent fashionable group. With striking appearance and multiple entertainment functions, this device surely attracts the fad-pursuers.
Fig 57 Portable Pal for Young Group
Besides colorful appearance, this device also has functions as follows:
1) Communication Media:
Generally, the communication media includes: eye, ear, skin. And accordingly, this device should offer the tools for users to manipulate visually, acoustically, and touchily.
Visual Implementation:
The device contains camera to fetch information of user’s appearance, emotion, and action, before sending out with real-time speed. At the same time, large screen is also able to display the other speaker’s vivid image. Current cell phone has such two components and has realized the real-time visual communication. The implementation should land on the more image pixel number and transforming speed.
Acoustic Implementation:
Like current fixed phone, the new device has microphone, headphone. Besides this basic function, the device has certain additional functions like: recognizing user’s words, translating oral words into short message, speaking out the received short message. Namely, the device broadens the acoustic communication.
Touchily Implementation:
With
bionic skin materials planted on its surface, this device could response
to user with various multi-media displays, like the figure shows. If
user presses much strength on the device, it would display in its screen
the depressed cartoon graph or cry out. If user gently feel the device,
it would sing a relax song or smile in the screen. Such mutual exchange
is simple but effective. As current bionic skin has already developed
with relative small size and coarsely detection function, this technique
design could be realized in the not far future.
Fig 58 Various Emotion Mutual Reactions with users
2) Entertainment
Listening & Watching
This
device contains mp3&mp4 player and super-volume memory to store
songs and MTVs. Besides the listening and watching songs in the device,
user could also log on to the internet and download or on-line watch
movies or TVs. Namely, this device is a portable media player.
Fig 59 Multi Media Player—Communication Device Accessory
Playing Games
With high speed communication within internet, this device could enable user to play high quality online 3D-games. Current online game is primitive and low quality, still needs to be promoted.
Intelligent Toy
We
dreamed the powerful “Trans Formers” in the cartoon movie 20 years
ago. Currently, various intelligent dolls like “Sony dog”, “Kondo”
humanoid robot, has given us hint and confidence that the real-world
transformers will arrive soon. Together with communication with other
users, this intelligent device could not only transform its geometry
according to user’s wishes, but also display various performances
when receiving short messages or phone calls. Here, biomimetic mechanism
could be applied.
Fig 60 Tranformer—Powerful Communication Device
Bosses
in big companies always have accompanying secretaries, who not only
arrange bosses’ daily affairs and connections, but also help make
decisions. So many tasks are put on secretary’s shoulders that being
a secretary means omnipotence. However, with the “Meticulous Secretary”,
human secretary would be freed from such miscellaneous affairs.
Fig 61 Meticulous Secretary’s Shape and Screen
Besides common communication functions, this Meticulous Secretary has following characters:
Accessing to Internet
This device has high quality interface which enables fast logging onto the internet. Besides, it also has a powerful filter to leave away unused information from internet. Also, high-level firewall is planted in it to defend Hackers’ attack.
Daily Affair Arrangement
This device has software like Notepad, Office, Outlook, and financial software. Just like a miniature computer, this device makes the daily affairs arrangement much more convenient. Additionally, it could also exclaim out some alarms for certain exigent affairs’ impending or to notice the scheduled meeting.
Video Telephone
Manager could utilize it to phone others both acoustically and visually. This visual communication really helps a lot for effective mutual understanding.
Emotion Adjusting
As is known to all, managers in high positions mostly carried out great burden from the company and the outside. So it is very important to timely adjust their emotion. Current emotion robot has developed with high emotion discrimination[69][70][71]. So, once such cell phone is implemented with additional function, surely it would be very popular. After recognized manager’s emotion, this device sends out different kinds of songs, or show some cute cartoon movie or pleasant pictures to adjust their feelings.
It is a really long time since human lived in this earth that the disabled are excluded from common information and ordinary social lives. Being physically disabled, the blind could not see colorful world, the deaf could not hear moving sound, and the dummy is not able to hold effective talks. With advanced techniques, such social deficiency should be remedied.
Acoustic Enhancement
Current
hearing aids are produced very small, making it possible to be integrated
into cell phone. If the cell phone support the hearing aids earphone,
then a potential market is discovered.
Fig 62 Hearing Aids—Communication Device Accessory
Acoustic Making up
Blind or dummy people could not see, but may hear sounds. So, above stated “Acoustic Implementation” could solve such problems. The device could recognize user spoken sentences, and translate oral words into short message, then send to the receiver. The receiver device then gets and speaks out the received short message. After the further treatment of short message, it could be understood by this acoustic-feasible disabled.
Health Care
Usually, these physical deficient groups deserve social health care. The new device could offer certain kinds of useful serves.
As biomimetic skin could detect temperature, the device is then able to detect user’s body temperature and monitor their physical condition.
Current
electrical blood-pressure meter is already made very small. If this
function could be integrated into cell phone, this device is then very
helpful for users.
Fig 63 New Generation Cell Phone-Health Care Function Included
Bodyguard
If cell phone has an additional function to trigger out electrical wave, or send out shrilling sound, this device could protect the disabled from attack and injury.
In international conference or remote classroom, important speaker may not appear and present locally. There has been an assumption that one virtual or fabricated speaker could stand out and replace real person for speech.
One
research project named “Claytronics”[92]
is under support of Intel and Carnegie Mellon University. An ensemble
of claytronics cartoons can be programmed to organize itself into the
shape of an object and visually take on its appearance. The intention
is that the clay-like material used to take the impression is electronic
in nature, comprised of a myriad of tiny modules which are capable of
inter-module communication and computation. This intelligent clay measures
its own shape and, by reflection and the shapes of the embedded fossil
fragment, generates a digital representation of the fossil's three-dimensional
structure[93].
Fig 64 3-D Fax—Premitive
Geometry Remote Representation
Fig 65 Human Fax—Ultimate Geometry Remote Representation
However,
this project aims to found its research on electro-mechanical system,
which limits the claytronics’ physical shape to be too small. Current
research product is shown in Fig 66.
It is easy to see that the unit is still very big.
Fig 66 Current Research--Geometry Representation Unit
Taking into account the development of MEMS technology, the geometry representation units could be much smaller than the research product in Intel and CMU group.
In this paper, it gave a new ideal about the hardware of mobile electronic communication devices. With the states-of-art researches and the most interesting research topics to Nokia, it introduced the bio-material, bio-mechanism, and bio-function respectively. With these techniques, it maybe can bring the new conception of the mobile electronic communication devices.
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