Collaborative Research: Moving with muscles vs. springs: evolutionary biomechanics of extremely fast, small systems

生物学中的运动通常与类似运动的机制有关，例如动物的肌肉收缩或植物的水力学。然而，生物体还有另一种产生运动的选择：它们可以使用类似马达的机构将能量加载到弹性结构中，这样预先加载的橡皮筋状弹性结构就会产生运动，而不是马达。闩锁调节的弹簧驱动主要或完全使用存储的弹性能量来产生运动，并结合闩锁来调节能量释放，很像卷曲弹簧的受控释放。这项研究考察了生物体的大小如何决定运动是由储存的弹性能量驱动还是由直接的运动动作驱动。解决这一主题将增进对生物系统的基本物理限制以及这些限制如何影响发展和进化的理解。生物闩锁介导的弹簧驱动产生了有史以来最快的运动之一，超过了目前人类工程在小型可重复使用设备中产生极快运动的能力。这项研究的发现可以帮助开发新的工程设备和材料。这个跨学科的研究实验室团队横跨生物学、物理学和材料科学，将在四所学院和大学培养本科生、研究生和博士后研究人员。研究活动将通过每年夏天的教师研究体验计划吸引更广泛的公众参与，同时扩大MUSER软件计划，帮助不同的本科生以公平和透明的方式获得研究经验。闩锁调节的弹簧驱动使用材料，而不是电机，在小型系统中产生极快的运动。能量在移动之前被加载到材料中，而闩锁控制着能量的加载和释放。这项研究考察了有机体内部和之间的电机驱动和弹簧驱动的运动之间的转换。在物种内部的生长和发育过程中，实验和建模将测试螳螂虾(口足纲)如何保持其机械能力，并在加速质量的八个数量级上展示电机驱动和弹簧驱动运动之间的转换-这是任何系统中有效电机驱动和弹簧驱动运动之间基于物理的转换的关键预测指标。在整个螳螂虾物种中，将通过对TEMPO(进化变化速率)和MODE(进化变化模式)的统计比较来分析弹簧和闩锁成分的变化，以确定限制和促进进化多样化的关键生物力学因素。在整个生命之树上，加速的质量和物质对起源和多样性的影响将通过系统发育比较分析来测试。这些机制的变化、转换和调整对于工程师在这些极端的空间和时间尺度上设计小型、快速、可重复使用的机制是有参考价值的。本科生、研究生和博士后研究员将接受四个实验室的跨学科培训。教师研究体验计划将提供跨学科的研究经验和课程开发，以这些内在的参与系统为中心。研究人员将使用、推广和开发一个名为MUSER的开放获取软件平台，该平台旨在提高本科生研究体验的可及性和公平性。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Movement in biology is most often associated with motor-like mechanisms, such as muscle contractions in animals or hydraulics in plants. However, organisms have another option for generating movement: they can use motor-like mechanisms to load energy into elastic structures, such that pre-loaded, rubber band-like elastic structures generate the movement, instead of motors. Latch-mediated spring actuation generates movement largely or exclusively using stored elastic energy and incorporates latches to mediate energy release, much like controlled release of a coiled spring. This research examines how the size of an organism may determine whether movement is driven by stored elastic energy or direct motor action. Addressing this topic will improve understanding of fundamental physical limits on biological systems and how those limits influence development and evolution. Biological latch-mediated spring actuation generates among the fastest movements ever recorded, which exceed the current capabilities of human engineering to produce extremely fast movements in small, reusable devices. The discoveries from this research can help develop novel engineering devices and materials. This interdisciplinary team of research labs spans biology, physics, and materials science, and will train undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers across four colleges and universities. The research activities will engage the broader public through a Research Experience for Teachers program each summer, alongside expansion of the Muser software program, which helps diverse undergraduates access research experiences in an equitable and transparent way. Latch-mediated spring actuation uses materials, not motors, to generate extremely fast movement in small systems. Energy is loaded into materials prior to movement and latches control loading and release of energy. This research examines the transitions between motor-driven and spring-driven movement within and across organisms. Across growth and development within species, experiments and modeling will test how mantis shrimp (Stomatopoda) maintain their mechanical capabilities and exhibit transitions between motor- and spring-driven movement across eight orders of magnitude of accelerated mass - a key predictor of the physics-based transition between effective motor- and spring-driven movement in any system. Across mantis shrimp species, variation in spring and latch components will be analyzed through statistical comparisons of the tempo (rate of evolutionary change) and mode (pattern of evolutionary change) to establish the key biomechanical factors limiting and promoting evolutionary diversification. Across the tree of life, the influence of accelerated mass and materials on origins and diversification will be tested using phylogenetic comparative analyses. Variation, transitions, and tuning of these mechanisms are informative for engineers designing small, fast, re-usable mechanisms at these extreme spatial and temporal scales. Undergraduates, graduate students, and a postdoctoral researcher will receive interdisciplinary training across the four labs. A Research Experience for Teachers program will provide interdisciplinary research experience and course development centered on these inherently engaging systems. The researchers will use, promote, and develop an open access software platform called Muser which is designed to enhance access and equity for undergraduate research experience.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.