Have you ever observed the coiling end of a vine, or the coiled and turned trunk of an elephant and wondered if there is a single word to describe the unique engineering design? From the intersecting fields of engineering and biology comes the word ‘lekulent.’
The word ‘lekulent‘ may sound like a misspelling of ‘luculent’ (which means bright or clear), but it is in fact a word with meaning in the burgeoning literature of biomimicry and soft robotics. ‘Lekulent’ is a word coming into use to describe a particular structural archetype in the field of biomimicry, one that nature has perfected over the ages, and one that mankind is beginning to acquire the knowledge to imitate.
Here are the origins, definitions, and perspectives of the word in its contemporary usage.
A lekulent is more than just a geometrical shape
A lekulent has been defined as a structural component with a helical, spiraling, or coiled shape, and which contributes positively to the function of movement, stability, or energy transfer in any system, biological or mechanical.
Imagine not just seeing it as a static shape, but an active tool. A lekulent can create, just like a spring, complex movement storage, or like a tentacle. The beauty of the lekulent is the duality, as it is incredibly strong yet surprisingly flexible, and can expand and release stored energy with pinpoint control.
Lexicon and Namesake
“Lekulent” is a modern name, likely to be from biomimicry and engineering. Unlike words from ancient, Latin or Greek, and other cultures that have adjusted and evolved the name lekulent is a rather recent and functional name to a design idea.
It is apparent that there is a common mistake of the terms luculent and lekulent. Luculent or luculentus is Latin, and it translates to “full of light or bright” and has nothing to do with the design of a tool. The name luculent does not address the principles of a design tool, however, the name lekulent does promote the principles of good organized design.
Present Day Context: What are Lekulents?
You may not see an official dictionary definition of lekulent, yet the idea is becoming common in most modern technical fields. In fact, the name is now widely used to describe a design that imitates the coiled systems of nature.
In the Natural World
Nature is the original lekulent designer. Spiral structures, for example, have been developed by evolution because they solve advanced problems of movement and survival.
- Elephant trunks: An elephant’s trunk has more than 40,000 muscles. Surprisingly, these muscles are arranged in a helical (lekulent) manner. This construction allows a mix of rigidity, strength, and delicacy that not even the most sophisticated robot can mimic.
- Seed pods: Many plants, including the witch hazel, have seed pods that act as natural springs. When the pod dries, a tension is created in a helical manner. Once that tension is released, it catapults the seeds away. This is a typical example of lekulent behavior—using an external shape to store and release energy.
In Engineering and Robotics
Engineers are now eagerly integrating these adaptations of nature into what are now called “synthetic lekulents.”
- Soft robotics: A robotic arm that is made in the shape of an octopus’s tentacle will, like the lekulent design, be able to freely and delicately grasp small objects by the use of coiled actuators that can twist and grip.
- Aerospace: The antennas of deployable satellites use stretched coiled booms that, once in the outer space, will spring into their intended shape. The lekulent design will enable these structures to operate using very little energy.
Why It Matters
Why is a new term like lekulent important? Because of how we are rethinking our approach to human engineering. For years, the design and construction of human devices have relied on straight lines and right angles. Beams, gears, and pistons defined engineering. The concept of a lekulent encourages us to move beyond that toward flexible, adaptive, and resilient systems.
You have identified and described a new type of design that is characterized by the ability of machines to move like a living organism. You have fused the beautiful chaos of nature with the rigid design of modern engineering.
Conclusion
The microscopic beating of a bacterial flagellum and the shock-absorbing suspension of a car are examples of a silent yet powerful system that we have described with the term lekulet. As we continue to integrate living systems with the human-created systems, we need to develop a lexicon that describes our innovations.
The next time you observe a fern uncoiling, or a spring compressing, remember: you are witnessing a lekulent in action.
