Technical non-visual characterization of substrate contact following the biological paragon of carpal vibrissae

• Applicants: Privatdozentin Dr. Manuela Schmidt; Professor Dr. Hartmut Witte; Professor Dr.-Ing. Klaus Zimmermann
• Subject Area: Automation, Mechatronics, Control Systems, Intelligent Technical Systems, Robotics ; Applied Mechanics, Statics and Dynamics ; Systematics and Morphology (Zoology)
• Term: from 2013 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 234705334

The major aim of the second phase of the project is to detail the principles identified for the functions of carpal sinus hairs and to transfer them into technical objects for non-visual characterization of substrate contacts. This approach refers as well to the results of experiments as to analytic and simulation models based on those data. In terms of system analysis the work is focussed on the adaptorics, with special impact on the infectors (like effectors couple energy into the environment, infectors are the coupling elements for information (may it be carried by energy or material) infected from the environment).1. Pending hypothesis to be finally tested is: Groups of three or four carpal sinus hairs form an ulnar multi-point sensor observing rotation of arm and fore-arm relative to the substrate. Now that we know about the focus, to characterize the properties of those sensor systems in more detail the results of high resolution motion (in vivo) and structural (in vitro) analysis have to combined.2. In addition to the on-going description and modelization of infectors we have to complete the sensor model by integration of relevant properties of follicle sinus complexes FSC. Macro variants of tuneable technical bearings will iteratively be optimized according to large scale contact experiments in the existing apparatus. Parameters under special focus are conicity, roughness and pre-bending of hairs in combination with compliance and damping in the bearing.3. Following the rules for model-basec mechatronic design according to VDI 2206 an intelligent brush system for controlled cleaning of a defined test environment will be realized. Of special methodological interest is how and in how far the biologically inspired adaptoric system may be integrated as a module with the technical control and actorics. More visionary is the idea to apply the principles identified for the biological infectors to technical effectors.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants