Project : Digital image correlation within an uncrosslinked gelatin hydrogel 

Description: measuring deformation within the bulk of a hydrogel has many applications including material characterization, mechanics of various shaped hydrogel probes on flat hydrogel, as well as high speed material response of hydrogels. The method shown here is an extension of a previously developed technique
(Link to DIC in crosslinked gels).
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Project started on 1/13/2020

Quick proof of concept for a DIC speckle pattern embedded in gelatin. Following experiments will refine this technique and allow for a 3D DIC setup to be placed under the device. 

This method will be used to complement research attempting to measure plant root traction forces in various stiffness environments. (The cap size and shape of Arabidopsis thaliana primary roots impact the root responses to an increase in medium strength www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/378828v2.full)