Page 174 - Biomimetics: Technology Imitates Nature

Biomimetics: Technology Imitates Nature

penetrate into the brush of sensory hairs. On the return stroke, however,
it sweeps more slowly, so the water is unable to move between the hairs
and the odor plume that penetrated between the hairs during the down-
stroke are trapped until the next rapid downstroke.
The antennules move forward and back at the ideal speed for the
lobster to be able to smell. Tests have shown that if the antennules moved
more slowly, the water would not flow between the hairs, reducing the
crustacean’s ability to smell. Therefore, it uses its antennules in such a
manner that it’s able to preserve and capture even small differences in
odor concentration in a plume. 114

Structure of Worm Muscles Lead the Way to New
Mechanical Systems

The skin covering a worm’s cylindrical body consists of fibers that
are wound in a crossed helical form around and along the body—a most
impressive design. The contraction of muscles in the body wall leads to an
increase in the internal pressure, and the worm is able to change shape as
the fibers in the skin allow it to go from short and fat to long and thin. This
is the basis of how worms move.
This matchless mechanical system is presently inspiring new projects
at Reading University’s Centre for Biomimetics. In one experiment, cylin-
ders of various fiber angles were arranged along the lines of the worm’s
anatomy. The plan is to fill these cylinders with a water-absorbent poly-

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