Collaborative SPIE conference paper on biomimetics and plant motion

I have been involved with a short study on the use of passive sun-tracking motion in plants in the development of automatic windows blinds and sun-wells. The lead investigator on the project is Torben Lenau from the Technical University of Denmark, who talked about the project in the recent SPIE Conference ‘Bioinspiration, Biomimetics, and Bioreplication IV’ in San Diego 9-12th of March 2014. The talk was also published as an invited paper in the proceedings from the conference.

Lenau, T. A. and Hesselberg, T.(2014). Self-organisation and motion in plants. Proc. SPIE Vol. 9055, Bioinspiration, Biomimetics, and Bioreplication 90550F (March 8, 2014). doi:10.1117/12.2045155

Abtract
Self-organisation appeals to humans because difficult and repeated actions can be avoided through automation via bottom-up nonhierarchical processes. This is in contrast to the top-level controlled action strategy normally applied in automated products and in manufacturing. There are many situations where it is required that objects perform an action dependent on external stimuli. An example is automatic window blinds that open or closes in response to sunlight level. However, simpler and more robust designs could be made using the self-organising principles for movement found in many plants. Plants move to adapt to external conditions, e.g. sun-flower buds tracking the sun, touch-me-not Mimosa and Venus fly trap responding to mechanical stimuli by closing leaves to protect them and capture insects respectively. This paper describes 3 of the basic biomimetic principles used by plants to track the sun; i) light causing an inhibiting effect on the illuminated side causing it to bend, ii) light inducing a signal from the illuminated side that causes an action on the darker side and iii) light illuminating a number of sensing plates pointing upwards at an angle activate an expansion on the same side. A concept for mimicking the second principle is presented. It is a very simple and possible reliable self-organising structure that aligns a plate perpendicular to the source of illumination.