期刊名称：Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
印刷版ISSN：0027-8424
电子版ISSN：1091-6490
出版年度：2014
卷号：111
期号：46
页码：16349-16352
DOI：10.1073/pnas.1409468111
语种：English
出版社：The National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
摘要：SignificanceRove beetles are known to fold their wings in the most complicated and sophisticated ways that have right-left asymmetric patterns. This asymmetric folding can confer both high deployment capability and high storage efficiency, and therefore has a great deal of potential for engineering applications. However, the detailed folding mechanisms have been unclear because of the difficulty of observing of the folding processes. This study used a high-speed camera to observe the wing folding movements of rove beetles. The results show that these characteristic asymmetrical patterns emerge as a result of simultaneous folding of overlapped wings. The specific crease patterns of respective wings and detailed folding motions in each folding sequence are also described here. Foldable wings of insects are the ultimate deployable structures and have attracted the interest of aerospace engineering scientists as well as entomologists. Rove beetles are known to fold their wings in the most sophisticated ways that have right-left asymmetric patterns. However, the specific folding process and the reason for this asymmetry remain unclear. This study reveals how these asymmetric patterns emerge as a result of the folding process of rove beetles. A high-speed camera was used to reveal the details of the wing-folding movement. The results show that these characteristic asymmetrical patterns emerge as a result of simultaneous folding of overlapped wings. The revealed folding mechanisms can achieve not only highly compact wing storage but also immediate deployment. In addition, the right and left crease patterns are interchangeable, and thus each wing internalizes two crease patterns and can be folded in two different ways. This two-way folding gives freedom of choice for the folding direction to a rove beetle. The use of asymmetric patterns and the capability of two-way folding are unique features not found in artificial structures. These features have great potential to extend the design possibilities for all deployable structures, from space structures to articles of daily use.
