Meeting Abstract
Multi-disciplinary education has become a critical part of formal and informal curricula to teach students how different disciplines work in harmony and to provide an exciting experience that can encourage the students to pursue education and careers in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. Due to the popularity of biomimicry, the integration of biology and applied sciences is becoming increasingly visible in curricula throughout the country, especially in museums where animal-related behaviors are popular. Recognizing the need for interactive tools that can make the integrated STEM education fun and effective, the objective of this work was to develop a biologically accurate model of a snake jaw that can demonstrate the function of the quadrate bone and how the unique physiology contributes to the large range of motion in the jaw. The goal of this model was also to teach other integrated STEM topics, such as mathematics. The robotic snake jaw was developed at Villanova University as a part of the undergraduate capstone program. The model uses servo motors that are individually controlled using an Arduino board. The frame and exterior skull of the device was modeled using SolidWorks and 3D printed. The device consists of movable inner and outer, lower and upper mandibles of the jaw as well the unique quadrate bone. Lastly, the device has a pre-programmed motion to simulate a human jaw movement to show the audience the effect of the quadrate bone on the range of motion. The device also enables teaching simple algebraic relations and advanced geometric and trigonometric relations for an interactive mathematics session. The device is currently housed at The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. In the upcoming months the device will be assessed.
