Preface: The 1st International Online Conference on Biomimetics ^†

1. Introduction

Conference Introduction

This volume of Materials Proceedings assembles the papers presented at the 1st International Online Conference on Biomimetics (IOCB 2024), held online on 15–17 May 2024, through the sciforum.net platform developed by MDPI. IOCB 2024 focused on “Advances in bioinspired materials, biomimetic design and device, bioinspired surfaces and interfaces, bioinspired robotics and bioinspired sensors”. This electronic conference enabled attendees to present their newest research results, directly chat to exchange ideas with their colleagues, or host online question and answer sessions. The main purpose of the conference was to promote biomimicry and bionics, and it was dedicated to research related to the most basic aspects of living organisms and the transfer of their properties to human applications and man-made devices.

This conference provided an opportunity for researchers and scientists in the field of biomimetics and bionics to interact with each other, communicate with colleagues, learn from each other, share ideas and experiences, jointly solve problems, and suggest alternative solutions for a better future in bionics. IOCB 2024 selected a limited number of contributions among 140 submissions for live session presentations, all formally reviewed and accepted by the chairs and/or by the conference committee members.

IOCB 2024 collected contributions concerning five thematic areas related to biomimicry and bionics: Biomimetics of Materials and Structures; Biomimetic Design, Constructions, and Devices; Biomimetic Surfaces and Interfaces; Design and Control of Bioinspired Robotics; Biomimetic Application of Insect Functional Morphology. Video recordings of the sessions and open access to papers and presentations can be found online at https://sciforum.net/event/IOCB2024.

2. Committee Members

2.1. Conference Chair

Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Carbone, Department of Mechanics, Mathematics and Management, Polytechnic University of Bari, Italy.

2.2. Session Chairs

Prof. Dr. Xu Hou, Institute of Electrochemical Science and Engineering; State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces; College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and College of Physical Science and Technology, Xiamen University, China;

Prof. Dr. Yongmei Zheng, Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, Beihang University, Beijing, China;

Prof. Dr. Marc Weissburg, Brook Byers Professor of Sustainability and Co-Director of the Center of Biologically Inspired Design, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA;

Prof. Dr. Joseph Ayers, Marine and Environmental Sciences, Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, USA;

Prof. Si-Qin Ge, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Science, China;

Dr. Ming-Xia Sun, Tianjin Normal University, China;

Dr. Cheng-Quan Cao, Leshan Normal University, China;

Dr. Chu-Chu Li, Kiel University, Germany.

2.3. Event Committee

Dr. Xiang Ge, Key Laboratory of Mechanism Theory and Equipment Design of Ministry of Education, School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, China;

Dr. Daniel Ruiz, Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2-CSIC), Campus UAB – Edifici ICN2, Barcelona, Spain;

Dr. Liang Li, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Germany;

Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck, Plant Biomechanics Group, Botanic Garden, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Germany;

Dr. Xiaoming Zhang, School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University, China;

Dr. Antonio Concilio, Department of Adaptive Structures, Centro Italiano Ricerche Aerospaziali, Italy;

Prof. Dr. Ille C. Gebeshuber, Technische Universität Wien, Austria;

Dr. Luca Patanè, Department of Engineering, University of Messina, Italy;

Prof. Dr. Borodich Feodor, College of Aerospace Engineering, Chongqing University, China;

Dr. Muhammad Ullah, Division of Bio-based Materials and Fiber Composites, Biofuels Institute, Jiangsu University, China.

3. Invited Speakers

From fish scales to dynamic ice removal mechanisms. Professor Jianying He, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway;

Engineering Biomimetic osteochondral scaffold for early intervention of osteoarthritis. Professor Chaozong Liu, University College London, UK;

Chemomechanics of dynamic “living” polymers. Assoc. Prof. Yuhang Hu, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA;

Biofabrication of Human Tissue-Mimetics. Assoc. Prof. Yu Shrike Zhang, Harvard Medical School, USA;

Bio-inspired ice controlling materials for cryopreservation. Professor Jianjun Wang, The Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (TIPC-CAS);

Bioinspired growth and decay - A new paradigm for materials science. Professor Ilse Christine Gebeshuber, Technische Universität Wien, Austria;

Mussel-Inspired Approaches to Produce Multifunctional Bioinspired Materials for Their Application in Biomedicine. Professor Salvio Suárez–García, Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and BIST, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain;

Practiced Applications of Aerospace Morphing Devices: Considerations and Perspectives. Dr. Antonio Concilio, Department of Adaptive Structures, Centro Italiano Ricerche Aerospaziali, Italy;

Bio-Inspired Intelligence with Application to Control of Various Robotic Systems. Professor Simon Yang, Advanced Robotics & Intelligent Systems (ARIS) Lab School of Engineering University of Guelph Canada;

From the insect adhesion to snake slithering: tribology and contact mechanics aspects of biological surfaces. Professor Stanislav N. Gorb, Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany;

Mechanical Intelligence in Insect Wings: The Role of the Basal Complex in Wing Shape Morphing. Dr. Hamed Rajabi, London South Bank University, UK

Synergy in Nature: Exploring Bee-Flower Interactions and Biomimetic Innovations. Dr. Jianing Wu, Sun Yat-Sen University, China

Wettability, Adhesion and Optics of Insect Wings and Biomimetic Application. Dr. Mingxia Sun, Tianjin Normal University, China.

4. Partners

The 2nd International Electronic Conference on Microbiology is supported by the following Journals and organizations (Figure 1 and Figure 2):