Guest lectures and seminars - Page 6
Future robots need to be robust and adaptable, and new design approaches are needed for new production methods. I will talk about my research in using evolutionary algorithms and biologically inspired methods with the aim of having more intelligent, robust, and adaptive behavior in robots. I will give a short introduction to some of the algorithms and show how we apply them in our robotic platforms for exploring automatic design and adaptation.
C*-algebra seminar by Gaute Schwartz (University of Oslo)
Engineering principles to develop advanced biomaterials and scaffolds. This study focuses on utilising engineering principles to facilitate new bone growth, specifically in designing and fabricating bone scaffolds. The core of our investigation lies in applying titanium dioxide (TiO2) scaffolds, which have emerged as promising candidates due to their osteoconductive properties and the potential for enhancing bone tissue engineering.
Our research aims to bridge the gap between engineering and biology by harnessing fluid mechanics and material science to create scaffolds that mimic the natural bone environment. By comparing TiO2 scaffolds with commercial porous calcium phosphate biomaterials under simulated perfusion culture conditions, we delve into the mechanical and fluidic stimuli that are crucial for bone regeneration. The study emphasises the role of fluid dynamics to make better “spare-parts” for the human body, highlighting the importance of permeability, mechanical load transfer and wall shear stress with a porous ceramic.
Furthermore, we validate our fluid mechanic simulations with the impact of dynamic seeding techniques. Our findings demonstrate the superiority of dynamic culture conditions in enhancing the expression of bone-related proteins and genes, thereby facilitating more effective bone regeneration. In addition, the study presents a clinical trial that shows that these porous bioceramic functions well in patients. The trial's outcomes confirm the potential of TiO2 scaffolds for in vivo bone formation and showcase the successful integration of engineering principles in the development of biomaterials for tissue engineering.
This research underscores the pivotal role of engineering in advancing tissue engineering and biomaterials science. By leveraging engineering principles to optimise scaffold design and functionality, we pave the way for innovative strategies in bone regeneration, offering new hope for patients requiring bone tissue reconstruction.
Paper cuts are a minor nuisance, but they can lead to life-threatening microbial infections. The physical processes that determine whether paper cuts into the skin, however, remain poorly understood. To explore skin-paper interactions, we designed an experiment in which a piece of paper contacts an artificial finger made from ballistic gelatin. Our experiments suggest that the paper thickness is one of the most important parameters in determining cutting efficacy. A relatively thin sheet often buckles before cutting is initiated, whereas the predominant interaction with thick sheets is indentation. Our preliminary data indicate that a successful paper cut is physically impossible outside a relatively narrow range of thicknesses for a given angle. Finally, the optimal paper cut is explored, and the influence of skin properties and cutting angle is discussed.
C*-algebra seminar by Corey Jones (North Carolina State University)