...Biomimicry or biomimetics is the examination of nature, its models, systems, processes, and elements to emulate or take inspiration from in order to solve human problems.[1] The term biomimicry and biomimetics come from the Greek words bios, meaning life, and mimesis, meaning to imitate. Similar terms include bionics.[2] Over the last 3.6 billion years,[3] nature has gone through a process of trial and error to refine the living organisms, processes, and materials on planet Earth. The emerging field of biomimetics has given rise to new technologies created from biologically inspired engineering at both the macro scale and nanoscale levels. Biomimetics is not a new idea. Humans have been looking at nature for answers to both complex and simple problems throughout our existence. Nature has solved many of today's engineering problems such as hydrophobicity, wind resistance, self-assembly, and harnessing solar energy through the evolutionary mechanics of selective advantages. One of the early examples of biomimicry was the study of birds to enable human flight. Although never successful in creating a "flying machine", Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) was a keen observer of the anatomy and flight of birds, and made numerous notes and sketches on his observations as well as sketches of "flying machines".[4] The Wright Brothers, who succeeded in flying the first heavier-than-air aircraft in 1903, derived inspiration from observations of pigeons in flight.[5] Otto Schmitt, an American...
Words: 683 - Pages: 3
...As a result of 3.8 billion years of “research and development” (evolution), nature provides a set of design blueprints that may be used to guide us to create elegant, sustainable, and innovative designs for human technologies (Benyus 1997). The field of biomimicry analyzes nature‟s best ideas and adapts them for human use (Benyus 1997). The built environment could benefit from the integration of a discipline such as biomimicry into the design process. In 1997, Janine Benyus published a revolutionary book called Biomimicry. The word Biomimicry is derived from two Greek words: bios which means life, and mimesis which means to imitate. In her treatise, Benyus describes “a new science that studies nature‟s models and then imitates or takes inspiration from these designs and processes to solve human problems, e.g. a solar cell inspired by a leaf.” (Benyus, 1997). t is said that the need is the mother of invention . People have been inventing whole of their lives to accommodate their requirements. This paper will discuss how men approached to some of their development and what roles did nature and some of its designs play to inspire inventors. The paper will go farther than this to look up at a new scientific method that imitate natural superior system to improve humans' life. It will concentrate mainly on the advancements of communication systems due to researches on this science which is called Biomimetics. Finally it will try to identify any existing similar natural and human-made...
Words: 2649 - Pages: 11
...Biomimicry L. Nicole Doucette, Kim Fields, Tanner Funk, Anthony J. Gallela DeVry University LAS 432: Tech, Culture, and Society March 2013 Session Prof. Colleen Mallory Table of Contents ~ Prepared by L. N. Doucette Abstract --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 3 ~prepared by K. Fields Introduction --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 4 ~ prepared by A. J. Gallela What is Biomimicry ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Page 5 ~ prepared by T. Funk History ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 10 ~ prepared by T. Funk Political Influence -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 13 ~ prepared by K. Fields Legal Influence ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 16 ~ prepared by K. Fields Economic Questions and Considerations --------------------------------------------- Page 18 ~ prepared by A. J. Gallela Psychological Considerations ------------------------------------------------------------ Page 21 ~ Prepared by K. Fields Biomimicry Cultural Context and Media Influence ---------------------------------Page 24 ~ prepared by A. J. Gallela Sociological Effects -------------------------------------------------------------------------...
Words: 11704 - Pages: 47
...birds to conceive is rendering for his proposed “flying machines”. His ideals led the way for the other innovators who also were influenced by nature. Like the wright Brothers, who observed pigeons and in combination with Da Vinci’s plans successfully created human flight. This use of natural design as a precedent for design is categorized as Biomimicry. The Biomimicry Institute describes biomimicry “ as an approach to innovation that seeks sustainable solutions to human challenges by emulating nature’s time-tested patterns and strategies.” The idea being that solutions to many of our sustainability issues are all around us – nature has already solve many of them. As our world population expands and urban areas continue to grow to suite their needs, the implementation of a sustainable means to feed and house the increased numbers become dyer. Biomimicry encourages learning and imitating natural structure, processes, as well as ecosystems to construct more sustainable technologies and designs. Biomimicry proposes that we look at nature as "model, measure, and mentor." In 1997, when Janine Benyus, a biologist, published her book, Biomimicry:...
Words: 488 - Pages: 2
...Lovely Professional University, Punjab Course Code MTH251 Course Category Course Title FUNCTION OF COMPLEX VARIABLE AND TRANSFORM Courses with Numerical focus Course Planner 16423::Harsimran Kaur Lectures 3.0 Tutorials Practicals Credits 2.0 0.0 4.0 TextBooks Sr No T-1 Title Advanced Engineering Mathematics Reference Books Sr No R-1 R-2 Other Reading Sr No OR-1 Journals articles as Compulsary reading (specific articles, complete reference) Journals atricles as compulsory readings (specific articles, Complete reference) , Title Higher Engineering Mathematics Advanced Modern Engineering Mathematics Author Grewal, B. S. Glyn James Edition 40th 3rd Year 2007 2011 Publisher Name Khanna Publishers Pearson Author Jain R. K. and Iyenger S. R. K. Edition 3rd Year 2007 Publisher Name Narosa Relevant Websites Sr No RW-1 RW-2 (Web address) (only if relevant to the course) www2.latech.edu/~schroder/comp_var_videos.htm freescienceonline.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html Salient Features Topic videos available Complex Analysis Reference Material Available LTP week distribution: (LTP Weeks) Weeks before MTE Weeks After MTE Spill Over 7 6 2 Detailed Plan For Lectures Week Number Lecture Number Broad Topic(Sub Topic) Chapters/Sections of Text/reference books Other Readings, Lecture Description Relevant Websites, Audio Visual Aids, software and Virtual Labs Introduction Functions of a Complex Variable Learning Outcomes Pedagogical Tool Demonstration/ Case Study...
Words: 3054 - Pages: 13
...RFP for Seaton Hall- Criteria List RFP may be divided into three parts. I) Introduction II) Body III) End INTRODUCTION * Must be in good structure * Keep the text simple * Maintain the focus and clarity of topic * Keep the contents concise * Adjust the background to low contrast * MESSAGE/ GOAL * RFP must address the problem and client upfront in the document title * Keep the hierarchy and placement * Give bold appearance to important points * Separate the topics as required * Do not include more than four important points in a paragraph * Use distinct colors to give important points ORGANIZATION * Only include relevant facts * Use consistent bullets to separate information * Show the process of making in graphics * Address challenges involved in the project * Description of past projects * Project delivery process chart * Keep similar information in a group LEGIBILITY * Font size of the header must be larger than the body * All letters must be legible (at least 12 pts.) * Colors of the letters should have visual contrast * Don’t use more than four colors * Header be of different color and highlighted * Font should be uniform in all documents USE OF GRAPHICS * Graphics should be pleasing and contextual * Graphics shown to show the past projects done * Photographs and renderings of past projects * Pixel must be high enough to show the clear visibility USE...
Words: 254 - Pages: 2
...Essay Climate change is quite possible the most destructive threat that has ever faced mankind. It has the potential to drown whole nations and port cities with rising sea levels due to thermal expansion and the melting ice caps, entire weather systems will change, disrupting agriculture and causing wide spread poverty and famine. Scarier still is the estimated tipping point, the point of no return, our enhanced greenhouse effect will develop into a runaway greenhouse effect. The same effect which is seen on Venus, a scorching planet with a surface temperature of 462°C and clouds of sulfuric acid, it’s believed there was once vast oceans and there were even speculations of a long gone tropical paradise. Alas, it’s now a hostile environment incapable of sustaining any life or development, and to think this may have been brought about by the same process that threatens us now is terrifying. It’s hard to predict and explain, but it’s clear that our enhancing greenhouse effect is solely due to anthropogenic activity and advancements in technology over the past 3 centuries. The human ability to design and innovate technology is marvelous, the numerous ways in which fossil fuels have been utilized to our benefit, through fuels, plastics and surprisingly almost every item in our day to day lives. It is these life-changing technological discoveries that catalyze the developments of new human eras. Without basic agricultural tools and plows we never could have moved away from subsistence...
Words: 1147 - Pages: 5
...SEMINAR PAPER Creative Techniques for Problem Solving Korbinian Dennerlein H0954189 Strategy, Innovation & Management Control Vienna University of Economics and Business Course: 5876 Personal skills -‐ Problem solving Instructor: Desislava Vacheva (BSc.MSc.) Korbinian Dennerlein H0954189 CREATIVE TECHNIQUES Innovation and creativity foster and generate a crucial resource in today’s constantly changing business environment. It is essential to handle this resource carefully and to act target oriented in order to gain a sustainable competitive advantage. Nevertheless, it is important not to lose focus on the core business and to keep the balance between exploitation and exploration. Therefore, it is important to apply creativity in the right way. This application should preserve the stable and working organization from being too chaotic. A general way to divide the various approaches is to cluster them into divergent and convergent techniques. Divergent techniques aim at generating a high number of ideas in order to have a wide range of possible solutions to choose from. In comparison, convergent techniques deal with a certain problem and search step-by-step for a single right solution.1 In the beginning of this paper I want to explain one divergent concept in...
Words: 2082 - Pages: 9
...Welcome to BioInspire, a monthly publication addressing the interface of human design, nature and technology. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------BioInspire.16 5.19.04 The following essay first appeared on CYSI ONLINE: http://cysionline.chattablogs.com Please post all comments and reflections on this essay at http://cysionline.chattablogs.com/archives/012868.html#comments CYSI Online is a monthly online publication that takes hope in the thousands of young people across the US engaged in creative initiatives for social progress. It features short articles by a broad range of social innovators, generally between 20-30 years old, and focuses on identifying creative solutions to old social problems; and building bridges and crossing barriers that divide our movements and the country. Join CYSI Online’s distribution list for free by emailing cysionline@hotmail.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Faith in Sustainability John Mlade Institute for the Built Environment Colorado State University johnm@biomimicry.net When someone asks me about who I am, or what I believe, I invariably draw upon my affinity for sustainability. Increasingly just a buzzword, and sometimes out of context, for me the word "sustainable" is a way to describe restorative human social systems and designs. These are systems and designs that create positive impacts on our environment and the well-being...
Words: 1341 - Pages: 6
...Management and Leadership Paper Kathryn Bond December 13, 2010 BUS330 Israr Hayath San Diego Zoo is this paper’s subject for discussing leadership and management within the company, which is a non-profit organization. Leadership is leading by way of exemplary examples and instilling confidence in the audience. Leaders are working for the good of the Company. Leaders are good trainers since they want to pass the information on to trainees to avoid mishaps. Leaders change things like conventional believes and practices. Leaders are knowledgeable in their field. The Zoological Society of San Diego has existed 90 years. It is now referred to as Global Zoo. There many leaders at the zoo. There is a Board of Directors with 12 members. The leaders at this level are concerned with the Zoo’s mission which is conservation, education, and recreation organization dedicated to the reproduction, protection and exhibition animals, plants, and their habitats (Mission Statement). These are the leaders that stay abreast of environmental changes. At the administrative level leadership may not be so strong or evident to all zoo employees since there is rarely direct contact with them (Halogen). In 2006, the Society brought in approximately 100 million dollars for the first time. This level of revenue drove the society to re-evaluate its old practices and to create a new strategic plan that would modernize their way of doing business. One of the key elements of the...
Words: 1883 - Pages: 8
...Chapter 5: Sustainable Product and process Development Consumer demand for sustainable Products Consumers are increasingly demanding sustainable products not only in the US but in other worldwide markets. In surveys of nine countries and interviews in seven Chinese cities, consumers were increasing their purchases of green products particularly if they were considered to be of higher quality. Additionally, the majority of these consumers want producers to provide full transparency, good environmental records, clarity on product risks and safety, information on environmental impact, high ethical standards, and fair employee treatment. The study also reported that executives at twenty leading consumer products companies agreed that the offering differentiated green products not only brought down the costs of their value chains but provided additional margins and market share particularly helpful with the current economic conditions and competitive markets. Green, ethical, and sustainable products present huge opportunities to innovative companies particularly those in the consumer categories of paper and packaged products, disposable home products, fresh meat and vegetables, and electronics and appliances. Other important growth categories include building products, sustainable energy production products, and energy and resource reduction technologies. Ingestible products such as food and beverages lead the pack in sustainable product category growth particularly because...
Words: 6183 - Pages: 25
...Columbian Forest Products create a wide variety of plywood and wood products. The newer technology, PureBond Hardwood Plywood being one of them. Most of the time in plywood manufacturing the way that the different pieces of wood are bonded together have the chemical formaldehyde in them, creating health hazards. However, what the Columbian Forest Products Company does is use a soy based bonding agent called Pure Bond which eliminates the use of formaldehyde. According to the Biomimicry Institute, “this adhesive is modeled after the sea creature, blue mussels, and when adding catechol groups to soy protein the structure becomes remarkably similar to marine proteins, creating much stronger and more durable adhesion properties.” Thus, Pure Bond is created....
Words: 255 - Pages: 2
...The Hemorrhaging of Biodiversity Our species’ activity within the last century is responsible for rapidly diminishing the diversity of life forms on this planet. Each species lost is a storehouse of environmental knowledge selected for over millions of years. The exploding sciences of biomimicry, bioengineering, and genetic manipulation highlight the enormous potential a single species may have in helping humanity create a healthier, more sustainable interaction with our environment through improvements to medicines, food production, nutrition, technologies, and resilient ecosystems. A conservative estimate is that well over a hundred species a day are going extinct, with the rate of disappearing species accelerating as natural habitats shrink, fragment, and degrade and commercial exploitation of vulnerable species escalates. The loss of species is irreversible and the loss of old-growth natural habitats irretrievable within centuries. The fewer the species remaining on this planet, the more tenuous our own existence. EO Wilson rightly warns that our destruction of the Earth’s biodiversity will be the thing that future generations will least forgive us for. What can we do? A good start is to fully shut down the international trade in wildlife, protect all remaining natural habitats, from rainforests to untrawled seafloors, and begin to restore watersheds by removing dams and protecting headwater and riverbank vegetation. Our Dying Oceans Overfishing has decimated most fisheries...
Words: 443 - Pages: 2
... Strategies for managing e-waste safely include the following, except: Combustion State legislative efforts to manage e-waste Consumer fees to pay for the expansion of e-waste recycling facilities Expanding existing municipal waste services to accept e-waste 2. This law targets abandoned hazardous waste sites for cleanup and establishes legal liability for remediation. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Toxic Substances Control Act Electronic Waste Recycling Act 3. Computer Manufacturing Company, Inc. intentionally designs its computer products to become non-useful five years after purchase. This is an example of: e-waste. planned obsolescence. biomimicry. I.S.O. 14000. 4. A goal in managing municipal solid waste is to: reduce emphasis on recycling. increase landfill usage. minimize toxicity. eliminate the generation of solid waste. 5. Big Corporation transports and stores hazardous waste for its clients, who generate that waste. Big Corporation itself does not generate the hazardous waste. Which of the following statements is true, pursuant to R.C.R.A.? Big Corporation must obtain a permit from the generator of the hazardous waste. Big Corporation is not permitted to store any hazardous waste for more than 30 days. Big Corporation must track and report on its interaction with the hazardous waste. Big Corporation is exempt from R.C.R.A. requirements, because it is not a generator...
Words: 461 - Pages: 2
...ISSUES PAPER Date 28 March 2008 Subject ISSUES PAPER: Emerging Technology Table of Contents Introduction 1 Communications Technology 2 Green City 2 Nanotechnology 2 Personalized Medical Monitors 2 Robotics 2 Mind-controlled interfaces 3 Personal Networking 3 Smart buildings 3 The future of bio-technology 3 Introduction History is full of life-changing inventions, the printing press, electricity, the telephone not to mention the foundations of medicine, transportation and computers and the Internet. It is well known that technology, coupled with knowledge and innovation have the potential to alter traditional concepts of the urban community. The cities to benefit from these changes are those with strong appeal for artists, creative individuals and younger educated people. The cities which have this creative skill base will be able to adopt and develop new technology. Historically, Melbourne has a long history as a manufacturing city. However with the rise of China and Asia there has been a steady decline in the manufacturing industry in Victoria. Melbourne has revived itself as a knowledge city with higher education arguably being a key factor in Melbourne’s current and future prosperity (Committee for Melbourne, 2007). Can Melbourne leverage from its historical base in manufacturing and knowledge to be a leader in emerging technology? It is well known that a city which can adopt new technology will excel...
Words: 2295 - Pages: 10
