Biomimicry

Biomimicry Definition

Biomimicry is the science of applying nature-inspired designs in human engineering and invention to solve human problems. It has been used to create the first flying machine inspired by eagles and owls that paved the way for technologies like jets and planes, and in the invention of Velcro which works much the way hooks on burrs stick to animal fur. By designing and producing materials, architecture, and systems that are based on biological materials and processes, we work to strike a balance with nature—to live in harmony with Mother Earth and not to continue producing global problems. Biomimicry is propelling us toward a new way of living—to sustainable assets, methods, and policies.

Aside from reasons only involving the desire to be environmentally friendly, businesses have other incentives to utilize biomimetic products and processes. Generally, applying biomimicry allows us to do more with less—yes, more production and more profit, with less work and less cost.

Biomimicry Examples

When solving a design problem, we can look to nature to find inspiration. We can find natural designs for making things water-efficient, aerodynamic, energy-efficient, self-healing, and more! There have been many recent innovations that have taken a hint from nature with positive outcomes. Here are just a few:

Landscape

Permaculture is an agricultural system designed to simulate natural procession of energy and materials found in natural ecosystems so as to work with the force of nature rather than against them. It is agriculture inspired by nature in its layout and engineering to minimize waste and maximize productivity. Common practices in permaculture include rainwater harvesting, intensive rotational grazing, and drip irrigation. These practices serve to boost the efficiency and productivity of the land without harming the soil or depleting it of nutrients.

Architecture

Architects have taken a cue from termites and constructed a building called the Eastgate Center in Zimbabwe that passively self-regulates the building’s internal temperatures despite large external temperature fluctuations. Like the soil that that termites build their mounds from, the Eastgate is built from construction materials with a high heat capacity, allowing the materials hold and release heat like a buffer before the internal temperature changes. Also similar in design to the termite mounds, the Eastgate Center takes advantage of the wind, allowing it to circulate air throughout the building with the help of some fans. This self-regulating ventilation design saved the building from the cost of purchasing an air-conditioning system and the electricity bill that accompanies it.

Transportation

The head of Japan’s Sanyo Shinkansen bullet train from Osaka to Hataka is modeled after the beak of the kingfisher bird. The older models of the bullet train faced challenges that limited the speed of the train: it generated too much atmospheric pressure when rushing through the tunnel systems that caused too much noise and vibrations. Train testers almost gave up on doing test runs exceeding 350 kilometers per hour until inspiration came to them in the form of the kingfisher and its ability to dive from the air into the water without a splash. They learned that this was possible because the shape of the kingfisher’s beak and head were sharp and streamlined. When they designed the new train head to resemble this kingfisher, train speeds increased by 10% while air pressure and electricity consumption decreased by 30% and 15%, respectively.

Energy

A wind turbine company called WhalePower is finding inspiration from the flippers of humpback whales. The flippers of a humpback whale have tubercles, or bumps, along the forward-facing edge that effectively allows the whale to hold a “grip” on the water and maneuver tight corners. These tubercle-studded fins have been found to experience less drag and more lift than their smoother counterparts. Translating this design and information into wind turbines will allow us to harvest more wind energy and prevent the blades of a windmill from stalling.

Another energy-producing innovation that takes inspiration from nature is the solar panel. What makes some solar panels particularly interesting, however, is that they follow the movement of the sun to optimize the amount of sunlight absorbed throughout the day—just the way a sunflower does and the way leaves are arranged on trees!

Medicine

The mosquito’s annoying ability to painlessly and unnoticeably suck blood and get away with it has inspired Japanese scientists to create a hypodermic needle that is equally painless. The key to less delivered pain is the serrated proboscis of the mosquito, which reduces the amount of surface area of skin that the proboscis comes into contact with. Less contact translates to less pain. We’ve been able to produce similarly-designed harpoon-like needles that have been implemented in small biomedical devices such as blood-glucose monitors for diabetic patients.

Quiz

1. What does biomimicry NOT involve?
A. Resembling another organism to reduce predation.
B. Copying nature’s internal processes.
C. Mimicking nature’s outward appearances.
D. Using natural materials in construction.

Answer to Question #1

A is correct. Mimicry is the resemblance of one species to another organism to reduce predation. Biomimicry is the application of nature-inspired designs, be it nature’s internal processes, its outward appearances, or using materials found in locally in nature.

2. Biomimicry can be used for all of the following EXCEPT?
A. Science
B. Relationships
C. Daily lifestyle
D. Technology

Answer to Question #2

B is correct. Biomimicry has been used to drive forward new technologies (bullet train). It has been implemented in our daily lifestyles (Velcro, raincoats). And it is a science of applying nature-inspired design into our products and engineering. It is not used in relationships.

3. Which is not an example of a biomimetic relationship?
A. Whale – Turbine
B. Horse – Car
C. Gecko – Gecko Tape
D. Elephant Trunks – Robotic Arms

Answer to Question #3

C is correct. The true inspiration for the first car design, a Mercedes, came from the boxfish.

References

• Permaculture. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permaculture


• BIOMIMETIC ARCHITECTURE: Green Building in Zimbabwe Modeled After Termite Mounds. (2012, November 29). Retrieved June 07, 2017, from http://inhabitat.com/building-modelled-on-termites-eastgate-centre-in-zimbabwe/


• Biomimetics. (2017, June 05). Retrieved June 07, 2017, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomimetics


• Case Example: Learning from whales to create efficient wind power. (n.d.). Retrieved June 07, 2017, from https://biomimicry.net/the-buzz/resources/case-examples-learning-whales-create-efficient-wind-power/


• Needle-like structure inserts painlessly: Mosquitos. (n.d.). Retrieved June 07, 2017, from https://asknature.org/strategy/needle-like-structure-inserts-painlessly/


• Sunni Robertson: on how a Kingfisher Inspired a Bulletrain. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://earthsky.org/earth/sunni-robertson-on-how-a-kingfisher-inspired-a-bullet-train

Biomimicry