What is Biomimicry?

Biomimicry is an innovation method that seeks sustainable solutions by emulating nature’s time-tested patterns and strategies, e.g., a solar cell inspired by a leaf. The goal is to create products, processes, and policies and new ways of living that are well adapted to life on earth over the long term.

One of the earliest uses of BIOMIMICRY in technology was back in the late 1800’s when and English gardener, architect and Member of Parliament, Sir Joseph Paxton, became very interested in the structure of the Victoria Amazonica. He felt that the structure of this organic leaf was very strong and could therefore take great weights which led to an interesting experiment.

Inspired by this – ‘natural feat of engineering' – he put it to the test by floating his daughter Annie on one leaf, he found the structure for his conservatory. The secret was in the rigidity provided by the radiating ribs connecting with flexible cross-ribs. Constant experimentation over a number of years led him to devise his glasshouse design that inspired the ridge-and-furrow roof of Crystal Palace.

Case Studies: 1 Shinkansen Bullet Train Travelling at over 200 miles per hour, Japan’s Shinkansen Bullet Train is the fastest in the world. However the first design had one small problem: noise. Every time the train came out of a tunnel, it would produce an extremely loud bang because of the change in air pressure. The train’s engineers looked to nature for an answer. They found a similar situation in the Kingfisher, which dives from air into water with little splashing. They redesigned the front end of the train using the beak of the kingfisher as a model and were able to create a much quieter train. The redesign also helped the train go even faster and use less energy.

Case Studies: 2 Hook and Loop Fastener The hook-and-loop fastener was conceived in 1941 by Swiss engineer, George de Mestral in 1941. The idea came to him one day after returning from a hunting trip with his dog in the Alps. He took a close look at the Burrs (seeds) of Burdock that kept sticking to his clothes and his dog's fur. He examined them under a microscope, and noted their hundreds of "hooks" that caught on anything with a loop, such as clothing, animal fur, or hair. He saw the possibility of binding two materials reversibly in a simple fashion if he could figure out how to duplicate the hooks and loops. This led to the development of the modern material, Velcro.

Case Studies: 3 Bionic Concept Vehicle When Mercedes-Benz engineers were trying to design and new aerodynamic concept car they look underwater to find inspiration in the form of fish. They focused on the ostracion cubicus, also known as the Boxfish. This fish has a rather large body, but is able to swim very fast because of its low co-efficient of drag and rigid exoskeleton. By identifying the similarities between cars and the boxfish, the designers began modelling a new vehicle after the Boxfish. Their final design had an unusual form that looked like a boxfish and after 
testing proved to have one of the lowest co-efficient of drag ever tested.

Case Studies: 4 Gecko Feet Adhesives Geckos are born with the mythical ability to scale smooth walls and scamper upside-down across ceilings. The source of their grip is millions of microscopic hairs on the bottom of their toes. Each hair's attraction is minuscule, but the net effect is powerful. Scientists estimate that the setae from the tiny toes of a single gecko could theoretically carry 250 pounds. Researchers have also developed Geckskin, an adhesive so strong that an index-card-size strip can hold up to 700 pounds. A form of gecko tape could replace sutures and staples in the hospital. And the ability to don a pair of gecko-tape gloves and scale walls like Spiderman may not be far off. 

Case Studies: 5 Watercube When China hosted the Beijing Olympics in 2008, it wowed the world with architectural feats, chief among them the swimming center, dubbed the Watercube. It’s design is based on the structure of soap bubbles, giving it a natural feel and earthquake resistance. The walls of the rectangular facility are made of large bubbles, both in form and function. Each bubble is a pillow of rugged plastic. The bubbles, which are just 0.008 inch thick, trap hot air from the sun that's then circulated to heat the pools. The plastic is resistant to damage from sunlight, weather and even dust. It's also easy to clean. When it rains, grime from Beijing's thick smog is swept away.

Case Studies: 6 Termite den Termite dens look otherworldly, but they are surprisingly comfortable places to live. While the temperature outside swings wildly throughout the day from lows in the 30s to highs over 100, the inside of a termite den holds steady at a comfortable (to a termite) 87 degrees. Mick Pearce studied the cooling chimneys and tunnels of termite dens. He applied those lessons to the 333,000 square-foot Eastgate Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe, which uses 90 percent less energy to heat and cool than traditional buildings. It has large chimneys that naturally draw in cool air at night to lower the temperature of the floor slabs, just like termite dens. During the day, these slabs retain the coolness, greatly reducing the need for supplemental air conditioning.

Case Studies: 7 Sharkskin Swimsuit Sharkskin-inspired swimsuits received a lot of media attention during the 2008 Summer Olympics when the spotlight was shining on Michael Phelps. Seen under an electron microscope, sharkskin is made up of countless overlapping scales called dermal denticles (or "little skin teeth"). The denticles have grooves running down their length in alignment with water flow. These grooves disrupt the formation of eddies, or turbulent swirls of slower water, making the water pass by faster. The rough shape also discourages parasitic growth such as algae and barnacles. Scientists are also applying the technique to create surfaces in hospitals that resist bacteria growth — the bacteria can't catch hold on the rough surface.

Case Studies: 8 Spider Web Glass Certain spiders protect their delicately crafted insect nets with a special silk rope that reflects ultraviolet rays. Birds can see the ultraviolet rays and recognize the webs as obstacles they should avoid. If engineers can reproduce the effect, it might save birds from their occasional accidental suicide runs into glassy buildings. German engineers at Arnold Glas copied the spiders and glazed their Ornilux-brand glass with a web-like pattern of ultraviolet-reflecting coating to save the birds from high-speed headaches.

Case Studies: 9 Firefly Lightbulbs When insects of the genus Photuris light fires in their bellies, the radiance is amplified by their anatomy — sharp, jagged scales, according to research published in January by scientists from Belgium, France, and Canada. Based on this observation, the scientists then built and laid a similar structure on a light-emitting diode (LED), which increased its brightness by 55 percent. Fireflies create light through a chemical reaction that takes place in specialized cells called photocytes. The light is emitted through a part of the insect's exoskeleton called the cuticle. Light travels through the cuticle more slowly than it travels through air, and the mismatch means a proportion of the light is reflected back into the lantern, dimming the glow.

Case Studies: 10 Butterfly Wing Displays Copying the way butterflies create the extraordinary metallic colouring on their wings could lead to new kinds of dyes, cosmetics and even flat panel displays. Furthermore, the materials could be grown, potentially making them less expensive than manufactured alternatives. Qualcomm looked towards the unique properties of butterfly wings to improve display technology. These highly developed structures reflect light so that specific wavelengths interfere with each other to create bright colors. This same principle was applied to cutting-edge display technology to make brighter, more readable, lower-power displays in mobile devices.

Designing A Biomimic Tent

Designing A Tent like a Leaf The structures for this tent are modeled after a leaf, with the veins forming the primary support structures for the tent. In addition to the obvious beauty of this structure, it also offers the user a great deal of added functionality. For example, it is lighter and more durable? It sheds water more effectively and is able to deal with wind storms much more effectively than a more traditional design.

Tents for… Relief or Refugees

The challenge Design a Biomimic Tent Try to include at least some of the following Biomimicry elements: Lightweight and easy to carry. Strong and durable. Easy to construct and pack away. Repel water. Comfortable to sleep and live in.