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Minimal Design of the Elephant Trunk as an Active Filament

Bartosz Kaczmarski, Sophie Leanza, Renee Zhao, and Ellen Kuhl

Derek E. Moulton and Alain Goriely*

  • Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA

  • Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

  • *Corresponding author: goriely@maths.ox.ac.uk
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 248402 – Published 14 June, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.248402

Abstract

One of the key problems in active materials is the control of shape through actuation. A fascinating example of such control is the elephant trunk, a long, muscular, and extremely dexterous organ with multiple vital functions. The elephant trunk is an object of fascination for biologists, physicists, and children alike. Its versatility relies on the intricate interplay of multiple unique physical mechanisms and biological design principles. Here, we explore these principles using the theory of active filaments and build, theoretically, computationally, and experimentally, a minimal model that explains and accomplishes some of the spectacular features of the elephant trunk.

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Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Focus

Mimicking an Elephant Trunk

Published 14 June, 2024

The extraordinary range of motions achieved by elephants’ trunks can be mimicked by a physical model that uses just three “muscles,” which could inspire robotic designs.

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Article Text

Supplemental Material

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 248402– Published 14 June, 2024
  • Received 5 November 2023
  • Accepted 22 April 2024
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI.

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