A sticky problem
A sticky substance produced by mussels is the inspiration for glue that might make foetal surgery safer.
The problem with surgery on a foetus is that, although surgeons no longer have to cut open a woman’s abdomen and womb, the endoscopic tools used to perform operations are inserted through a small hole in the amniotic sac. The amniotic sac cannot heal and is not easily sewn shut because it is so fragile.
After the surgery, the small hole in the delicate sac can tear, possibly leading to premature labour.
Also, adhesives do not always cling to a wet membrane.
Mussels cling to wet environments—such as rocks and ship hulls—with sticky substances that defy even pounding waves. Researchers infused an adhesive ingredient from the mussel foot, called dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA), into a unique polymer that can dissolve in a biocompatible solvent. This solution can then be drawn into a syringe and applied to wet tissue.
The researchers used pieces of a membrane that surrounds a cow’s heart as a model of the amniotic sac. They applied the solution with the syringe to overlapping sections of the wet, delicate tissues. On contact with moisture on the tissue, the mixture immediately became rubbery. The glue took about an hour to set and successfully held the pieces together.
Sources
The research was presented at the 254th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), on 20-24 August 2017, in Washington, DC.
American Chemical Society. (2017, August 20). Mussel-inspired glue could one day make fetal surgery safer. ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 23, 2017, from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/08/170820075011.htm
"Bionics" is the term used for innovation that was inspired by nature. To find solutions to problems, inventors often look towards nature to see if a solution is already being applied in the biological world. This article contains three examples; others can be found in previous posts: Natural inspiration, Natural inspiration 2, Natural inspiration 3, Natural inspiration 4, and Natural inspiration 5.
Deadly spider inspires tougher materials
The deadly American brown recluse spider has a unique spinning technique that could improve materials used in space travel.
The spiders add microloops to their silk to make the threads stronger than that of other spiders. Researchers have been adding loops to synthetic filaments in attempts to create more durable materials, but without much success.
Observation of the recluse spider, however, has shown that, unlike other spiders, who produce round ribbons of thread, the recluse produces a thin, nanoscale flat ribbon. This structure gives it the flexibility that prevents premature breakage, so the microloops can provide additional strength to the strands.
If applied to synthetic materials, this technique could strengthen new impact-absorbing structures. One example would be spider-like webs of carbon-filaments floating in space, to capture the drifting space debris that endangers astronauts and threatens satellite integrity.
Sources
University of Oxford. (2017, February 15). Deadly spider's unique spinning technique could inspire tougher materials. ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 23, 2017, from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170215121025.htm.
Koebley, S.R., Vollrath, F., Schniepp, H.C. (2017). Toughness-enhancing metastructure in the recluse spider’s looped ribbon silk. Materials Horizons, 3. DOI: 10.1039/C6MH00473C
Octopus tentacles inspire surgery device
STIFF-FLOP is a robotic surgical device that can assist in minimally invasive surgeries by manoeuvring through tight passages in the body, adjusting its texture and stiffness to avoid damaging tissue and organs. The device was inspired by the undulating, boneless tentacles of an octopus, which can squeeze into virtually any space to find food.
The purpose of the device is to minimize post-operative scarring and to have as little impact as possible on the patient’s immune system.
Sources
Spanne, A. (2015, June 18). 5 Cool tech innovations “bioinspired” by animals. Mental Floss. Retrieved June 19, 2015, from http://mentalfloss.com/article/65181/5-cool-tech-innovations-bioinspired-animals
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