Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
Department of Kinesiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
J Exp Biol. 2019 Aug 9;222(Pt 15):jeb197889. doi: 10.1242/jeb.197889.
Rapid biological movements, such as the extraordinary strikes of mantis shrimp and accelerations of jumping insects, have captivated generations of scientists and engineers. These organisms store energy in elastic structures (e.g. springs) and then rapidly release it using latches, such that movement is driven by the rapid conversion of stored elastic to kinetic energy using springs, with the dynamics of this conversion mediated by latches. Initially drawn to these systems by an interest in the muscle power limits of small jumping insects, biologists established the idea of power amplification, which refers both to a measurement technique and to a conceptual framework defined by the mechanical power output of a system exceeding muscle limits. However, the field of fast elastically driven movements has expanded to encompass diverse biological and synthetic systems that do not have muscles - such as the surface tension catapults of fungal spores and launches of plant seeds. Furthermore, while latches have been recognized as an essential part of many elastic systems, their role in mediating the storage and release of elastic energy from the spring is only now being elucidated. Here, we critically examine the metrics and concepts of power amplification and encourage a framework centered on latch-mediated spring actuation (LaMSA). We emphasize approaches and metrics of LaMSA systems that will forge a pathway toward a principled, interdisciplinary field.
快速的生物运动，如螳螂虾的非凡攻击和跳跃昆虫的加速，吸引了一代又一代的科学家和工程师。这些生物将能量储存在弹性结构（如弹簧）中，然后使用闩锁快速释放它，从而使运动由弹簧将储存的弹性快速转换为动能驱动，这种转换的动力学由闩锁调节。最初，生物学家对小型跳跃昆虫的肌肉力量极限感兴趣，从而被这些系统所吸引，他们提出了功率放大的概念，这既指一种测量技术，也指一个由系统机械功率输出超过肌肉极限定义的概念框架。然而，快速弹性驱动运动领域已经扩展到包含各种没有肌肉的生物和合成系统，例如真菌孢子的表面张力弹射器和植物种子的发射。此外，虽然闩锁已被认为是许多弹性系统的重要组成部分，但它们在调节弹簧中弹性能量的储存和释放方面的作用直到现在才被阐明。在这里，我们批判性地检查了功率放大的度量和概念，并鼓励以闩锁介导的弹簧致动（LaMSA）为中心的框架。我们强调了将开辟一条通向有原则的跨学科领域的 LaMSA 系统的方法和度量。
