PIRE research is organized into 5 thrust areas:
Silk-inspired Nanocomposites – Spider/Caddisfly Silk Mimics
Sea Cucumber, Squid Beak and Pine Cone Inspired Adaptive Composites
Note: the efforts from this Thrust have been shifted to non-NSF funded in vivo work. Materials innovations are now being translated to soft robotic development in Thrust 5.
Excitable Electrolyte Fibers/Gels toward Artificial Neurons
Note: The research work of this Thrust has been completed.
Dynamic and Functional Fibers inspired by the ECM
Soft Robotics Inspired by Worm Locomotion
