Inspired by the texture-morphing abilities of octopus skin, researchers from Cornell Univ. and the Marine Biological Laboratory have created a method of transforming stretchable two-dimensional surfaces into targeted three-dimensional shapes.
In nature, cephalopods such as octopuses and cuttlefish rapidly change their skin color, pattern, and texture to better hide from predators or to sneak up on prey. Cephalopod skin is covered in numerous papillae, small bump-like structures that are controlled by erector muscles. Contraction of the erector muscles pressurizes and stretches the papillae, which allows cephalopods to change their smooth skin into a multitude of three-dimensional (3D) shapes. This dynamic camouflaging ability allows them to mimic the jagged outline of coral, for example.
The research team simulated cephalopod papillae by creating mesh-embedded elastomeric membranes that are inflated by air pressure. “We start with a fabric mesh and a sheet of silicone rubber. We then laser cut the mesh and apply it to the rubber,” says Robert Shepherd, assistant professor in Cornell Univ.’s Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. A topcoat of silicone is applied to improve mesh adhesion. “The whole process takes about 10 minutes,” he says. When the...
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