Transcript Introduction to Biomimetics

Bio-mimetics
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
“Biomimetics (also known as Bionics, biognosis,
biomimicry or bionical creativity engineering) is the
application of biological methods and systems
found in nature to the study and design of
engineering systems and modern technology”
"taking design ideas from nature"
“Biomimetic refers to human-made processes,
materials, devices, or systems that imitate nature.”
WHY NATURE ???????
The Eastgate Center in Harare, Zimbabwe
Inspired by
Termite mound
 Materials:
 Processing & tools
 Fabrication/Manufacturing
 Devices & machines
 Functions & Mechanisms
 Principles
Almost all engineering could be thought of as a form of
biomimicry ??
Materials & Mechanisms
Advanced Materials, Functional Materials,
Smart Materials, Intelligent Materials !!
Conscious Materials ??!!!
Bio-Adhesion:
nanovelcro;
Geckel
glue
Structural colors:
Photonic Crystals
Low temp
ceramics
Lotus effect: Self-clean water
repellent surfaces:
Biomimetic Models of Protein Aggregation
Tissue Engineering
Microfluidic scaffold (gel material)
cells
3D
matrix
diffusing
nutrients
Microchannel
for
Feeding nutrients
Heart
valve
Choi et al, Nat. Mater.
6, 908-915, 2007
Fabrication/Manufacturing:
The Nature’s Way….
 Supramolecular, hierarchical…..
 Self-assembly
(bottom-up) Self-organization…….
 Processing conditions: Wet and soft, room temp..
 Directed and coded…………
Devices & Machines
 Neuromorphic chips, silicon retinae or coachleae
wiring modeled after real neural network
connectivity & functionality
 Molecular motors
 Cyborg!
Bio-inspired Nanomotors Machine
In 1959 Feynman gave his famous after-dinner
talk describing molecular machines building
with atomic precision
“There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom”
“The portal motor for bacteriophage f29
compresses the DNA 6,000 times its normal
volume," says Bustamante. "This generates an
internal pressure of about 60 atmospheres, which
is about ten times that in a champagne bottle.”
Bio-inspired Micro-Fluidics
Principles
 Cybernatics
 Artificial intelligence
 Genetic algorithms
 Socio-political models:
Examples: Bioregional Democracy
(political borders conform to natural Eco-regions rather than human
cultures or the outcomes of prior conflicts)
Natural Capitalism:
(Biomimicry is also the second principle of Natural Capitalism)
Genetic Algorithm
IKARUS Syndrome
Does Nature always do an optimized job?
Sub-optimality in Nature
Diversity:
Many ways to the
same function
Complexity:
Many things to be weighted
The field of Bio-mimetics is the abstraction of a
GOOD design from nature.
Bio-inspired???
Interact & Enjoy !!