Demonstrators

How can the different research areas within livMatS integrate their findings into functional materials systems and prototypical products? How will these materials systems look and feel like? How feasible are the materials systems regarding their industrial production and later real-life applications? To answer these questions livMatS will design and build technological demonstrators that act as first steps towards the later implementation of newly developed materials systems into industrial products, and highlight their wide application range.

livMatS develops demonstrators along three different lines: two sets are intended as proof-of-concept, and one set of demonstrators is oriented towards practical applications.
One demonstrator is inspired by the snapping mechanisms of the Venus flytrap and the waterwheel plant and should have all the functions of the living role models. Other demonstrators include soft autonomous machines with immanent sensing, controlling, and decision-making functionalities. Practical applications may include shape-adaptive objects for handling in work environments or medical uses.

Coordinator
Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck

Projects

Longterm Projects 2022 and 2023

• Biological and bioinspired autonomous hygroscopic materials systems
• Logic gated soft autonomous machine walker with soft switches and sensors for environmental interaction
• livMatS Artificial Venus Flytrap Systemic Demonstrator
• Soft autonomous machine systems driven by hydrogen peroxide based gas pressure generation with logic gated fuel/gas distribution system (H2O2LogicGatesSaM)
  This project is a collaboration between research areas B and Demonstrators.
• SNAPVALVE - Soft snap-through electromechanical valves for autonomous soft machines
  This project is a collaboration between research areas C and Demonstrators.
• METAINFLATE – Inflatable Metamaterials for Morphological Control
  This project is a collaboration between research areas C and Demonstrators.
• The non-local meta-material of the pomelo peel for bio-inspired long-fiber reinforcement
  This project is a collaboration between research areas B and Demonstrators. It is carried out within the the Cluster’s Agnes Pockels Doctoral Fellowship Program.

Longterm Projects 2019 and 2020

• Demonstrator for soft autonomous machines – soft robotic low energy gripper systems with sensing capabilities based on livMatS Materials
  This project is a collaboration between research areas B, D and Demonstrators.
• NANOTRET: Nano‐micro‐structured permanently charged surfaces for electret nanogenerators
  This project is a collaboration between research area A and Demonstrators.
• Development, characterisation and integration of flexible solar modules as energy supply unit in a livMatS demonstrator
  This project is a collaboration between research area A and Demonstrators.
• Biological and bioinspired (meta-) materials – New 3D/4D-printers for Demonstrator development
  This project is a collaboration between research areas B and C. It is carried out within the Cluster’s Hermann Staudinger Doctoral Fellowship Program.
• Development of an artificial Venus flytrap
  This project is a collaboration between research areas A, B, C and Demonstrators.

Booster Projects 2023 - finished

• Biomechanics of Venus flytrap stomach formation and trap reopening
  Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck
  Responsible Investigator: PD Dr. Simon Poppinga
• Controlled oxygen release through force
  This project is a cooperation between research areas B and Demonstrators.
  Principal Investigators: PD Dr. Michael Walter and Prof. Dr. Henning Jessen
• Plant-inspired humidity-driven bending actuator
  This project is a cooperation between research areas B, C and Demonstrators.
  Responsible Investigator: Prof. Dr. Claas Müller
  Principal Investigators: Dr. Olga Speck and Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck
• Biomechanics of liana tendrils and searcher twigs as models for novel plant-inspired soft root arms
  This project is a cooperation between research areas B and Demonstrators.
  Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck
• 3D Printing of shape-morphing surfaces for mechanical metamaterial surfaces
  This project is a cooperation between research areas B, C and Demonstrators.
  Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Bastian E. Rapp
  Junior Research Group leader: Dr. Viacheslav Slesarenko
• Maskless microstructuring of livMatS surfaces
  This project is a cooperation between research areas B, C and Demonstrators.
  Principal Investigators: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Rühe and Prof. Dr. Bastian E. Rapp
• Thin-walled structures for soft machines via a new soap-bubbleinspired manufacturing technique
  This project is a cooperation between research areas B, C and Demonstrators.
  Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Chris Eberl
• Emergent self-organization in macroscopic systems with stimuli-responsive elements
  This project is a cooperation between research areas A, B and Demonstrators.
  Junior Research Group leader: Dr. Viacheslav Slesarenko
  Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Lars Pastewka
• ECPhotoACT - First steps towards photoelectrochemical actuators
  This project is a cooperation between research areas A, B and Demonstrators.
  Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Anna Fischer

Booster Projects 2021 - finished

• A Soft Biomimetic Actuator Inspired by the Self-Sealing Motion of Succulent Plants
  This project is a collaboration between research area C and Demonstrators.
  Principal investigators: Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck and Dr. Olga Speck
  Responsible Investigator: Prof. Dr. Claas Müller
• Highly flexible triboelectric strain sensors
  This project is a collaboration between research area A and Demonstrators.
  Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Peter Woias
• Novel Materials Systems for Applications in Biomimetic Architecture and Building Construction
  This project is a collaboration between research areas B, C and Demonstrators.
  Principal Investigators: Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck and Prof. Dr. Jürgen Rühe

Compact Projects 2021 - finished

• Unit Cell artificial Flytrap Gripper
  Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck
• Biomimetic Speaking Valve
  Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck
• Characterization and evaluation of 3D printing techniques for rapid prototyping of pneumatic biomimetic soft robotic gripper fingers
  Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck

Compact Projects 2020 - finished

• Fiber Compound Connection
  This project is a collaboration between research areas B, C and Demonstrators.
  Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck
• Lightweight Materials Systems
  This project is a collaboration between research area B and Demonstrators.
  Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck