RESEARCH WITH 3D PRINTED SEAHORSE TAILS MAY BENEFIT ROBOTIC SURGERY

3D printed replicas of the seahorse’s tail may finally help to crack one of nature’s great mysteries

Composed of 36 segments, the tails of seahorses have a strange square shape not found in other fish species, and scientists now believe that this structure helps to provide the seahorse with a better grip on corals and seaweed. According to Michael Porter, a mechanical engineer at Clemson University and the lead investigator on the recent Science journal study, squared-shaped tails are better when both grasping ability and armor are necessary. Experiments using 3D printed models reveal that a seahorse’s tail is stronger, more strain-resistant, and mechanically stiffer than the cylindrical tails of other sea creatures, which helps protect them from being caught by wading birds, their main predators.

By mimicking the movement of ocean waves, scientists found too that a segmented square tail was better for clinging to objects and resisting pull. Models also indicate that when the square tail is crushed, the segmented plates slide past one another and absorb the force of the attack, protecting the seahorse’s spinal column. Once released from the predator’s grasp, the tail segments quickly snap back into place with minimal energy expenditure on the part of the seahorse. This information could be useful in the design of future medical devices and robotics, making them strong enough to perform surgical operations while allowing them enough flexibility to move around bones and organs.