Modeling the physical constraints of latch mediated, spring actuated systems*

Certain plants and animals utilize elastic structures made of biomaterials to actuate rapid movements. In some of the most extreme cases, which inclues mantis shrimp and trap-jaw ants, a latching mechanism is used to control the spatio-temporal flow of energy from the organism to their environment. In this work, we model the physical constraints of latch mediated, spring actuated systems. An integrated approach rooted in physical principles that includes the loading and release of energy from these systems is presented. This approach reveals the inherent tunability of these systems, and is applicable to both biological and synthetic systems. We identify critical transitions that depend on the materials properties and geometry of the spring and latch components. The resulting kinetic energy output of these systems is ultimately limited by physical constraints placed on the organism by interaction with their environment and their control dynamics.