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SUMMARY:From neurons and sunflowers to elephant trunks: the fascinating dy
 namics of smart active filaments - Alain Goriely\, University of Oxford
DTSTART:20230512T150000Z
DTEND:20230512T160000Z
UID:TALK200242@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Prof. Jerome Neufeld
DESCRIPTION:The world around us\, both natural and man-made\, is filled wi
 th structures that respond to external stimuli and adapt their internal st
 ructures to perform specific functions. Plants\, for instance\, have the a
 bility to sense changes in their environment\, such as changes in gravity 
 or light\, and modify their shape accordingly to survive. During developme
 nt\, neurons respond to their surroundings by growing and connecting diffe
 rent parts of the brain. Additionally\, the arms of octopuses and trunks o
 f elephants are stunning examples of the versatility and beauty of respons
 ive structures that inspire the development of soft robotics. In the field
  of engineering\, liquid crystal elastomers can be designed to respond to 
 light or heat\, offering exciting opportunities for new devices and actuat
 ors.\n\nIn this talk\, I will delve into the theory of sensing and materia
 l activation\, with a focus on slender structures such as active filaments
 . I will propose a unified mathematical framework to model how multiple st
 imuli can be combined at the microscopic level to produce changes at the m
 acroscopic level. This framework will allow us to uncover general principl
 es for microstructure organization and activation. Furthermore\, the feedb
 ack loop created by shape-shifting in response to external sources can pro
 duce complex dynamics similar to natural behaviors\, providing elegant sol
 utions to a range of functional challenges.
LOCATION:MR2
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