Inspired Lab
Welcome to the Inspired Lab
Uncovering the secrets of Natural Materials
Inspired Lab focuses on understanding natural materials' structures, properties, and designs, using a multidisciplinary approach. Structural biological materials have composite microstructures, with hierarchically organized constituents, which affect their overall mechanical behavior. The interplay between structure, form, and mechanics of biological materials is observed throughout the spectrum and thus understanding fundamental relations is very challenging because of its highly multidisciplinary nature. We are in the process of building a creative, collaborative, and open-minded Research Lab.
![Leaf Pattern Design](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3001c9b392d34772bbfdc8a72025bff5.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_677,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/3001c9b392d34772bbfdc8a72025bff5.jpg)
Research
Primary Areas of Interest
Explore and Examine Natural materials
Our primary driving force of research is to explore and examine natural materials from an engineering perspective to unravel some of Nature's secrets. So far we have worked with wasps, beetles, dragonfly nymphs, dinosaur teeth, and even cactus hairs. We will continue doing so to nourish our curiosity about the things around us.
![Image by Jakayla Toney](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_2ef948c716734584a1941b68fb6af754~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1347,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/nsplsh_2ef948c716734584a1941b68fb6af754~mv2.jpg)
Development and Fabrication of bioinspired materials/designs.
We are focused on taking some ideas into execution.
-Surface texturing of mechanically interacting components to tune friction
-Fabricating multilayered-graded composites for unique applications
![Fish Scale Texture](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_a34c56583f90464296a6a3cee13265f1~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_653,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/11062b_a34c56583f90464296a6a3cee13265f1~mv2.jpg)
Development of Sustainable materials
Sustainable materials for a better future, such as biodegradable packaging.
![Wild Mushrooms](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_08c26785555e491ab06d0ce8e47ce2f1~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_478,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/11062b_08c26785555e491ab06d0ce8e47ce2f1~mv2.jpg)
Contact Us
MSB 221A, Applied Mechanics, IITM, Chennai, India
lakshminath[at]iitm[.]ac[.]in
+91 44 22574088
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_d578b9d4ffba48c68d086ec29fe9e6f0f000.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_551,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/11062b_d578b9d4ffba48c68d086ec29fe9e6f0f000.jpg)