Energy stored to amplify power: click beetle

1 of 1 Click Beetle / Danny / License

Click beetles store work to amplify power a thousandfold by deforming their external cuticle.

Biomimicry Taxonomy

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Biomimetic Application Ideas

Protein-based elastomeric materials and nanosprings, highly efficient actuators.

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[Collapse all sections] Summary

"And that's where energy storage comes in. Down to the size of a trout or a squid tentacle, unaided muscle can do a decent job with nothing more than ordinary leverage. Below that, muscle needs help; in practice, energy is put in slowly and stored elastically. Some kind of trigger then releases it at a higher rate. Work and energy may be conserved, but power gets amplified…A click beetle stores up work by deforming the external cuticle; its power amplification is fully a thousandfold (Evans 1973). Each of these creatures has some kind of a mechanical catch to prevent premature extension while the work is being put in; the specific arrangements, though, are different for each case." (Vogel 2003:476)

About the inspiring organism

Elateridae
Elateridae

Organism/taxonomy data provided by:
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist

Bioinspired products and application ideas

Application Ideas: Protein-based elastomeric materials and nanosprings, highly efficient actuators.

Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Engineering, nanotechnolgy, MEMS

References

Steven Vogel. 2003. Comparative Biomechanics: Life's Physical World. Princeton: Princeton University Press. 580 p.

Evans, MEG. 1973. The jump of the click beetle (Coleoptera, Elateridae) – energetics and mechanics. 169: 181-194.

Energy stored to amplify power: click beetle

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