Why look to nature for innovation?
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The document explores the concept of bioinspiration, highlighting its role in innovation derived from nature across various fields, such as materials science and engineering. It discusses notable examples and historical figures who have influenced the development of biologically inspired design, emphasizing sustainability and the adaptation of natural principles in technology. Additionally, it presents insights into the relationship between living systems and the unpredictability that comes with their complexity.
Why look to nature for innovation?
- 2. Why look to nature for innovation?30th May 2017 - University of Dundee
- 4. Why take inspiration? What is bioinspiration? How has it been achieved? When was it developed? Where is it most successful?
- 5. WHAT is learning from nature?
- 6. Innovation: SLIPS Technologies (http://www.slipstechnologies.com/ Super- hydrophobic surfaces
- 7. Innovation: Institute for Fluid Mechanics and Aerodynamics - TUDF (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-7580.2011.01384.x/abstract) Micro-vortexes
- 8. Innovation: DuPont (http://bit.ly/2m8veW4) Strength + lightweight materials
- 9. Innovation: General Electric (http://invent.ge/2m4Gq9f) Structural colour
- 10. Innovation: University of Stuttgart / Flectofin (http://www.blogionik.org/flectofin-hingless-flapping-mechanism/) Hingeless mechanisms
- 11. Adapted from H2020 research Biomimetics SustainabilityBiomimicry Bioinspiration Bionics Biologically Inspired Design Nature-inspired Engineering Neo-Biomimetic Engineering
- 12. Concept TransformationOrganism Design Indirect transformational relationship
- 13. Research-led
- 14. Industry-led
- 15. Source: Terrapin Bright Green - Tapping into Nature (https://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/report/tapping-nature/)
- 17. Source: Chemistry Innovation Knowledge Transfer Network Periodic Table of Endangered Elements
- 18. Source: University of Bath (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1664643/) substance structure space energy time information
- 19. Source: University of Bath (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1664643/)
- 20. Source: University of Bath (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1664643/) Technology 3% 55% 5% 19% 4% 14% Biology 18% 6% 12% 25% 30% 9% Substance Structure Space Time Energy Information
- 21. Source: ichthyosaur - Wikimedia Commons Reptile - Ichthyosaur Fish - Shark Bird - Penguin Mammal - Dolphin Convergent Evolution
- 23. WHERE did it develop?
- 24. Leonardo da Vinci 1452-1519 Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
- 25. Dr. Charles Darwin 1809-1882 Alfred Russel Wallace 1823-1913 D’Arcy W. Thompson 1860-1948 Image credits: Wikimedia Commons
- 26. – D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson "The harmony of the world is made manifest in Form and Number, and the heart and soul and all the poetry of Natural Philosophy are embodied in the concept of mathematical beauty.”
- 27. Dr. Otto Schmitt 1913-1998 Col. (Ret.) Jack Steele M.D. 1924-2009 Dr. Julian Vincent still rockin’ Janine Benyus 1958-present Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
- 28. – Dr. Julian Vincent “…one of the basic features of living systems is the appearance of autonomy or independence of action, with a degree of unexpectedness directly related to the complexity of the living system. This gives living systems great adaptability and versatility, but at the expense of the predictability of the system’s behaviour by an external observer. In general, we do not accept unpredictability in technical systems; indeed, we avoid it.”
- 29. Source: Vogel, S (1998) Cats, Paws and Catapults Uses less flat and more curved surfaces. Take advantage of diffusion, surface tension, and laminar flow. Uses nonrigid bodies that reconfigure in flows. Objects bend, twist, or stretch at predetermined places. Uses foams and composites to fill cracks. Very often loads in tension. Structures with tensile sheaths outside and pressurised fluid inside.
- 30. Source: Vogel, S (1998) Cats, Paws and Catapults Constant maintenance, but often self- repair. Technology is wet. Factories often produce things larger, not smaller, than themselves. Overwhelmingly prefers submarines. Engines are based on sliding or contracting. Stores mechanical work as elastic energy.
- 31. – Christopher Alexander (1977) “A pattern is a careful description of a perennial solution to a recurring problem… describing one of the configurations that brings life… . Each pattern describes a problem that occurs over and over again in our environment, and then describes the core solution to that problem, in such a way that you can use the solution a million times over, without ever doing it the same way twice."
- 35. Barthelat, F el al (2016) https://www.nature.com/articles/natrevmats20167
- 37. Mashimo, S., et al (1997). Attenuation and Distortion of a Compression Wave Propagating in a High-Speed Railwav Tunnel. Kingfisher
- 38. Image credit: International Business Times
- 39. Lauder, G., and J. Oeffner. (2012) Hydrodynamic function of shark skin and two biomimetic models. structure of different shark skins
- 42. Turner, J.S. and Soar, R.C., (2008), May. Beyond biomimicry: What termites can tell us about realizing the living building. Namibian termite mound (& cheetah!)
- 48. Source: Dr Rupert Soar: Freeform Construction Ltd
- 49. Fungus farm
- 50. external influences property sensor effector offset external influences deposit clay increase pheromone Adapted from Dr Rupert Soar: Freeform Construction Ltd
- 51. Source: Dr Rupert Soar: Freeform Construction Ltd Turbulent eddy flows Mound skin structure Enclosed space CO2 / O2 gradient
- 52. Source: Dr Rupert Soar: Freeform Construction Ltd Fungus farm
- 59. Innovation: General Electric (http://invent.ge/2m4Gq9f) Innovation: Airbus (http://www.airbusgroup.com/int/en/story-overview/Pioneering-bionic-3D-printing.html) 45% reduction in weight
- 62. Image credit: Wikimedia Commons Jacques Cousteau
- 63. Further reading: Anderson, I.A., Vincent, J.F.V, Montgomery, J.C. (2016) Ocean Innovation. Biomimetics Beneath the Waves Homo Aquaticus
- 64. Alessandro Volta 1745-1827 Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
- 65. Further reading: Pancaldi, G (2003). Volta, Science and Culture in the Age of Enlightenment. Electric Ray
- 66. Sharkskin
- 69. Source: D’Elia, E. et al (2016) http://www.nature.com/articles/srep25059 Brickwork-like structure
- 70. Source: D’Elia, E. et al (2016) http://www.nature.com/articles/srep25059
- 71. Squid processing
- 72. Schmitt, O.H., (1938). A thermionic trigger. Journal of Scientific Instruments, 15(1), p.24.
- 73. Davenport, J., Hughes, R.N., Shorten, M. and Larsen, P.S., 2011. Drag reduction by air release promotes fast ascent….Marine Ecology Progress Series, 430, pp.171-182.
- 74. Final Thoughts…
- 75. – R Buckminster Fuller "In order to change an existing paradigm you do not struggle to try and change the problematic model. You create a new model and make the old one obsolete."
- 76. Organism Design Concept Transformation featurewordingfeature Product Semantics Biological Analysis
- 77. Source: Business Insider: 2017 4 Basic Problems
- 80. Thank you! Richard James MacCowan Co-Founder | Director richard@bio-uk.org | bio-uk.org | @Biomimicry_UK