Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of
Science, Bangalore 560 012, India Optimization hinders evolution! BE 205
Introduction to Biomechanics of Solids
Jan.-May., 2016
Instructors: G. K.
Ananthasuresh, Room 106, ME Building, suresh at
mecheng.iisc.ernet.in
Teaching assistant: Varsha Vasudevan, varsha at cns.iisc.ernet.in
Lectures: Tu, Th: 02:o0 pm - 03:30 pm;
Venue: MRDG classroom, Ground floor, Biological Sciences Building
Homework #1
Assigned: Jan. 5th, 2016
Due: Jan. 12th, 2016
Points: 50 Additional points for work that is beyond instructor's expectation!
20 points
Robert Hooke pioneered two fields: cell biology and mechanics of deformable bodies (elastic mechanics). The
combination of these two fields is our interest in this course. So, create a timeline in a three-column format by
listing important advances in these two fields from Hooke's time to now.
First column: Year
Second column: An advance in cell biology
Third column: An advance in mechanics of deformable bodies
30 points
It is a refresher for rigid-body mechanics, statics in particular. Write a Matab program for animating a planar
arm in a vertical plane under the influece of gravity. That is, the upper hand with a hinge (not a ball-and-socket joint) at the torso and
the lower arm also with a hinge (to model the elbow) should be modeled. Imagine that the arm is carrying a 10 kg mass.
Take the upper arm to be 0.4 m and the lower arm 0.35 m. Animate in such a way that the distal end of the
lower arm (where the mass is attached) follows a straight line of at least 0.3 m length in the vertical plane starting
from any convenient position. You should also show the torques at the two hinges as the arm is moved.
