| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/R17331/01 |
| Title: |
The Functional Ecology & Mechanical Design of Hooks In Nature |
| Principal Investigator: |
Vincent, Professor J |
| Other Investigators: |
|
| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
|
| Project Partners: |
|
| Department: |
Mechanical Engineering |
| Organisation: |
University of Bath |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
24 April 2001 |
Ends: |
23 April 2004 |
Value (£): |
65,470
|
| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Development (Biosciences) |
Materials testing & eng. |
| Population Ecology |
|
|
| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| Aerospace, Defence and Marine |
Manufacturing |
| Retail |
|
|
| Related Grants: |
|
| Panel History: |
|
|
Summary on Grant Application Form |
|
The diversity of design of hooks in nature is well established. Using selected functional types from animals and plants, free-living and parasitic, we shall characterise both biological (morphology, structure, ecological function, development) and mechanical (shape properties, strength and toughness, wear, attachment characteristics) properties. This will involve investigating both the hook(s) and the substrate, which can be modified (e.g. the butterfly larva spins a pad of silk for the pupal attachment). We shall concentrate on two case studies (pupal attachment of the Oleander butterfly and the attachment of copepod parasites to marlin fish) which exhibit extreme and specialised characteristics. We shall use the information both in a biological context (e.g. better attachment of marker tags to fish) and a mechanical, biomimetic, context (novel methods for joining textiles, developing surgical sutures, etc.).
|
|
Key Findings |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
|
Potential use in non-academic contexts |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
|
Impacts |
|
| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
|
| Date Materialised |
|
|
|
|
Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
| Project URL: |
|
| Further Information: |
|
| Organisation Website: |
http://www.bath.ac.uk |