Hessein Ali

Union College · Mechanical Engineering

Limitation of bio-compatible materials and relentless Darwinian natural selection have forced life forms to evolve incredible strategies to foster survivability. Some of these strategies are highly counter intuitive. For instance, heterogeneity and free standing surface components (such as dermal modifications found in nature) are often avoided in man-made systems due to poorer material properties, interface failure and operating strength (think of dislocations in monocrystals and microcracks in glass panels). On the contrary, natural systems are inherently hierarchical, branched and heterogeneous such as bone, gecko’s feet and scales on animals. Research indicates that these designs are often inherently multifunctional (bones are strong and can store chemicals), ultralight (dermal scales significantly improve mechanical protection and insulation while adding little weight) and can transcend natural limits of chemicals making them (blue pigments which are incredibly difficult to synthesize are still found in nature but by optical manipulation through photonic crystal like architecture). My research interest lies in discovering the underlying mechanisms behind these high performance strategies and amplify them in man-made material systems such as next generation multifunctional & ultralight aerospace structures, super efficient vehicles and high performance buildings.

Using inverse kinematics to come up with a new harness or modify the Pavlik harness.