Dresden 2026 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 37: Tissue Mechanics II

BP 37.6: Talk

Friday, March 13, 2026, 10:45–11:00, BAR/0106

Plant movement systems enabled by plant hinges: diversity, evolution, form-structure-function relationships and their biomimetic potential — Arooj Sajjad and •Simon Poppinga — Technische Universität Darmstadt, Botanischer Garten, Schnittspahnstraße 2, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany.

Plants are often described as comparatively static systems, yet many species exhibit diverse and mechanically sophisticated forms of movement. In recent decades, such plant movement systems have gained increasing attention due to their remarkable flexibility, versatility, and structural robustness. Plants move in a variety of ways, e.g. to align themselves with sunlight or the earth's gravitational field, to catch prey, to interact with pollinators, and to adhere to nearby structures in the environment. Plant movements are often enabled by joint-like structures, commonly referred to as plant hinges in the literature. Unlike technical hinges, which allow for rigid body movements and are maintenance-intensive and prone to failure, compliant mechanisms as found in plant movement systems fulfil roles analogous to technical joints, albeit fundamentally differing in form, kinematics, and structure. Interestingly, the hinges in most motile plant structures (e.g. motile sepals in orchids or lever mechanisms in sages) have not been investigated regarding their form-structure-function relationships. In this broad research study, we approach these compliant mechanisms in plants from an engineering perspective on kinematic pairs. Our research also aims to understand convergent mechanisms in plants. One aim is to develop future biomimetic actuator design.

Keywords: plant movements; plant biomechanics; form-structure-function relationships; actuator design; biomimetics