Designing the wearable device using the 3D model of the cockroach head and abdomen segments. (IMAGE)

Beijing Institute of Technology Press Co., Ltd

Designing the wearable device using the 3D model of the cockroach head and abdomen segments.

Caption

(A) Wearable device for the antennae: (i) A 3D model of the cockroach’s head was used as a reference to design the wearable device for the antennae. (ii) Two hooking mechanisms were incorporated to ensure the device attaches firmly to the cockroach’s head while also providing a secure connection at the antennae’s scape. The prototype was manufactured using a 3D printing method and tested for its attachment capability on a live cockroach. (iii) The improved design with 2 types of materials: the blue part is made with normal resin, the green part is made with active precursor resin that will be plated to conduct electrical stimuli, and a groove was added to separate the left and right parts of the antennae. (B) The prototype of wearable device was manufactured using a 3D printing method and was mounted on the head of the cockroach with the 2 connectors attached to the antennae. (C) The first design of the wearable device for the abdomen segments: (i) This design uses a hooking mechanism with pointed edges that are angled for easy attachment at the edges of the cockroach’s abdomen segment. (ii) The wearable device can firmly attach to the segment because pressure force is created because the gap between the upper and lower parts of the hooking mechanism is smaller than the thickness of the abdomen segment. (D) The improved design of the wearable device for the abdomen segments: (i) We modified the hooking mechanism to utilize hooks that clamp onto the edge of the tergum rather than relying on friction from pointed edges. (ii) This design integrates 3 main functions—the U-shaped clamp, the overlapping structure of the tergum, and the gripping hooks—which can cooperate to firmly fix the wearable device on the cockroach’s abdominal segment. (E) The prototype was manufactured using a 3D printing method and was attached to the second and sixth abdominal segments of the cockroach.

Credit

Hirotaka Sato, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University.

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