Industry Application 1 - Reversed Engineering Worksheet

What does the pet do?

Suckermouth catfish dwell in the bottom of the tank if there is dark in tank region or during night. They’ll hunt for food in dark and even if you turn light off in room they’ll start their movement. They’re peaceful in nature and there is not much conflict with other fishes. Sucker-mouth catfish is known as algae eater so it’ll dwell all over the tank to eat un-eaten foods and algae that grows inside the tank. They’re Herbivore in nature so you need to give them algae wafers and variety of flake foods. Along with regular diet food you can also give them algae wafers, shrimp pellets and other freshwater fish food.

How does it work?

This is the catfish most commonly used for getting rid of problem algae in the aquarium. It is one of the hardiest and most enduring of all catfishes. The Pleco is an unusual fish in body shape with its underslung suckermouth, tall dorsal fin and moon-shaped tail fin. Particularly the sucker mouth ability that has strong mouth muscles feature with a valve that makes this fish be able to control pressure in their cavity while breathing in water or air. The study discovered that the fishes utilize their suckers, through a mouth equipped with an oral disk, as well as the pectoral, pelvic, and caudal fins areas, to interact with the rocky river-bottom. The comb-toothed inferior mouth of the fish showed itself able to grasp green algae on the river bottom. With the help of the oral disk and sucker mouth, which anchor the fishes, they are able to remain upright while exploring this substratum. The sucker consists of a pre-valvular cavity, formed by a modified lip disc which acts as a properly functioning suction device 

New product

Sucker mouth’s natural abilities of combining respiration and attachment can be bio-inspired in medical applications. These days, surgical drains are routinely used in procedures to remove pus, blood or other fluids formed from wound. Drains should not be inserted after surgery because it will not result in faster healing. Some of the silicon tubes used may cause complications such as blockage or contamination which may lead to risk. Hence, the mimicry of sucker mouth cat fish lips may play an important role in preventing such incidence to occur. Since it has the ability to respire and attach a substrate at the same time by preventing backflow of water, this phenomenon can be studied detail and apply to a medical sucking device which may solve and prevent the worst case scenario during a surgical procedure.

Last but not least, by mimicking a the sucking feature of the fish, the efficiency of operation in medical field can be increased. Laparoscopic operation for example requires working through very small incision. The internal organs can be gripped tightly in a narrow space by using the medical device. Thus, we are inventing a new medical device which is a suction tube that can be used in surgery.

DO YOU THINK YOU PRODUCT WILL WORK IF IT IS MANUFACTURED?

The sucker mouth catfish has a unique structural evolution which leads to morphologies involving anatomical constraints [1]. It is known as ‘folded mouth’ by many due to its capability of sucking, breathing and feeding at the same time performance. Besides the present material used for the sucking devices, a better material with a folding ability can be used and perform based on its kinematics mechanism. These days, medical applications use vacuum, plastics or chemical products which may cause issues in the field of medical. Hence to avoid such complications, further research should be carried out to improve the usage of medical applications with a biodegradable and a better nature inspired materials to be in contact with living organisms. This means, the product will really work if it was manufactured once the design of the material is achieved.

DO YOU THINK YOU CAN RAISE FUNDS?

Definitely, but with a little push of course! There are many ways tor raise funds for a good course. One of the most efficient ways is through the internet and media platform. Everyone is on Google these days, best way to promote a new product or an invention. HITRECORD is an only community working together to produce an idea from the public to help elevate or share a specific idea which may lead to a larger project or production. By pitching this idea on how it caters to the environment by mimicking sucker mouth catfish ecological structures may interest the public and create awareness.

DO YOU THINK ENGINEERS EXPLORE SOLUTION FROM NATURE INTO THEIR INVENTION?

Of course, for the past decades many engineers have contributed to the society with many inventions which are bio inspired. For example, shinkansen bullet train, Velcro’s and sharkskin which was based on observing the nature and how it works. Hence, to ensure a secure and sustainable trait for the future generations, engineers should focus more on bio mimicry and how it may impact the society and environment when it’s applied. Besides that, bio mimicry should be applied in the early stage such as introducing it in the school and university level to develop the interest within students and also to educate on how to turn this world into bio inspired inventions for a longer and better living.