A Mechanics of Materials Outreach Activity – Reconstructing the Human Body: Biomaterials and Biomimicry

In order to engage and stimulate students, an outreach activity needs to integrate exciting subject material with hand-on laboratory experiments. Biomimetics is when complex problems are solved by imitating systems and elements found in nature. One of the largest areas of biomimetic inspiration is the human body. From this concept, students were asked to perform a hands-on activity to introduce them to the fundamental material science and mechanics through the concept of biomimicry. Student groups were tasked with designing a muscle replacement for a distal bicep fracture. The scaffold needed to mimic the mechanical properties of the natural tissue in the direction of highest applied force. Then to assess the viability of their designs, each groups scaffold was tested in tension. This engaging activity interconnects several mechanical concepts and provides a link between material science, mechanics and biomedical engineering.