. 24/7 Space News .
TECH SPACE
UTA researcher creates hydrogels capable of complex movement
by Staff Writers
Arlington TX (SPX) Sep 19, 2018

illustration only

Living organisms expand and contract soft tissues to achieve complex, 3-D movements and functions, but replicating those movements with man-made materials has proven challenging.

A University of Texas at Arlington researcher recently published groundbreaking research in Nature Communications that shows promise in finding a solution.

Kyungsuk Yum, an assistant professor in UTA's Materials Science and Engineering Department, and his doctoral student, Amirali Nojoomi, have developed a process by which 2-D hydrogels can be programmed to expand and shrink in a space- and time-controlled way that applies force to their surfaces, enabling the formation of complex 3-D shapes and motions.

This process could potentially transform the way soft engineering systems or devices are designed and fabricated. Potential applications for the technology include bioinspired soft robotics, artificial muscles - which are soft materials that change their shapes or move in response to external signals as our muscles do - and programmable matter. The concept is also applicable to other programmable materials.

"We studied how biological organisms use continuously deformable soft tissues such as muscle to make shapes, change shape and move because we were interested in using this type of method to create dynamic 3-D structures," Yum said.

His approach uses temperature-responsive hydrogels with local degrees and rates of swelling and shrinking. Those properties allow Yum to spatially program how the hydrogels swell or shrink in response to temperature change using a digital light 4-D printing method he developed that includes three dimensions plus time.

Using this method, Yum can print multiple 3-D structures simultaneously in a one-step process. Then, he mathematically programs the structures' shrinking and swelling to form 3-D shapes, such as saddle shapes, wrinkles and cones, and their direction.

He also has developed design rules based on the concept of modularity to create even more complex structures, including bioinspired structures with programmed sequential motions. This makes the shapes dynamic so they can move through space. He also can control the speed at which the structures change shape and thus create complex, sequential motion, such as how a stingray swims in the ocean.

"Unlike traditional additive manufacturing, our digital light 4-D printing method allows us to print multiple, custom-designed 3-D structures simultaneously. Most importantly, our method is very fast, taking less than 60 seconds to print, and thus highly scalable."

"Dr. Yum's approach to creating programmable 3D structures has the potential to open many new avenues in bioinspired robotics and tissue engineering. The speed with which his approach can be applied, as well as its scalability, makes it a unique tool for future research and applications," Meletis said.

Research Report: "Bioinspired 3D structures with programmable morphologies and motions,"


Related Links
University of Texas at Arlington
Space Technology News - Applications and Research


Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly


paypal only
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal


TECH SPACE
Top 10 take-aways from New York Fashion Week
New York (AFP) Sept 13, 2018
New York Fashion Week wrapped up with Rihanna's outre Brooklyn party unveiling her new Savage X Fenty lingerie line, snatching an honor traditionally the preserve of creme-de-la-creme designer Marc Jacobs. As the spring/summer 2019 season flits to Europe, with style fests in London, Milan and Paris, here's a quick round up of the top 10 takeaways from the Big Apple. Happiness is the truth Dark times be damned was the vibe this season. Why suffer in unease about the Trump presidency, global w ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

TECH SPACE
NASA Will Pay Anyone $15,700 to Stay in Bed for 70 Days

Danish Aerospace Company ApS to build 'next generation,' multi-function exercise equipment for astronauts

Yusaku Maezawa: Japanese spaceman with a taste for art

NASA completes Orion parachute tests for missions with astronauts

TECH SPACE
SpaceX announces new plan to send tourist around Moon

Japanese billionaire businessman revealed as SpaceX's first Moon traveler

Baikonur Facilities to Undergo Overhaul Before OneWeb Satellites Launch - Source

Roscosmos Finds No Flaw in Fabric of Soyuz Vehicle at Assembly Stage - Source

TECH SPACE
River basin provides evidence of ancient ocean on Mars

Curiosity Surveys a Mystery Under Dusty Skies

A new listening plan for Mars Opportunity rover

NASA Launching Mars Lander Parachute Test from Wallops Sep 7

TECH SPACE
China tests propulsion system of space station's lab capsules

China unveils Chang'e-4 rover to explore Moon's far side

China's SatCom launch marketing not limited to business interest

China to launch space station Tiangong in 2022, welcomes foreign astronauts

TECH SPACE
GMV primes the biggest contract ever signed by Spain's space industry

Creating Dynamism in Indian Space Ecosystem

Making space exploration real on Earth

Telesat advanced satellite begins on-orbit operations reports SSL

TECH SPACE
Experiment obtains entanglement of six light waves with a single laser

Northrop Grumman contracted for Hawkeye radar plane for Japan

Top 10 take-aways from New York Fashion Week

How a tetrahedral substance can be more symmetrical than a spherical atom: A new type of symmetry

TECH SPACE
When is a star not a star?

TESS Shares First Science Image in Hunt to Find New Worlds

New Exoplanet Discovered by Team Led by Canadian Student

SwRI scientists find evidence for early planetary shake-up

TECH SPACE
New research suggest Pluto should be reclassified as a planet

Tally Ho Ultima

New Horizons makes first detection of Kuiper Belt flyby target

Deep inside the Great Red Spot hints at water on Jupiter









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.