Biomimetic Design Method

for

Innovation and Sustainability

 

Yael Helfman-Cohen Yoram Reich

 

Content:

1.       Introduction

2.       Additional Related Information

3.       Workshops /Seminars Available

4.       Publication

5.       Funding

6.       Related Projects include

 

 

Introduction:

Biomimicry is a multidisciplinary discipline that studies nature's structures, process and systems to imitate or take inspirations from to solve human problems in a sustainable and innovative ways. While in formation, the Biomimetic discipline still lacks a clear theoretical and applicative framework of reference that could bridge the gap between biology and engineering.

The purpose of this research is to develop a biomimetic design method that would lead the practitioner in a sequential design process from the first step of problem definition to the final step of environmentally sustainable and innovative design concept. The method will provide tools to define and transfer biological knowledge to other domains, mainly to engineering and technology. 

The research method is based on analyzing large number of biological systems by advanced TRIZ (Systematic Inventive thinking) tools in order to uncover their structural principles. Analysis of biological systems using TRIZ tools provides an operational language that eases the description of those systems and improves their understanding.

 So far, few structural patterns have been identified and related to generic functions. Those structural patterns repeat in different biological systems and in various scales from nano to macro scales. Analysis of these biological systems by the Law of system completeness [1] revealed several structural patterns that function like engines and enable the usage of available environmental energy and material resources. Substance Field analysis of potential interactions between those structural patterns and environmental elements exposed the generic functions associated to these structures.

Those structural patterns are one of possible bridges to transfer biological knowledge to engineers. They provide better understanding of nature's structures that may be imitated and their related functions. Therefore, those structures will be the foundation of the developed biomimetic design method.

While we used technological knowledge driven from TRIZ to understand biological systems, we aim to bring back biological knowledge to technology by biomimetic design method for innovation and sustainability.

The research was introduced at Dublin during the TRIZ future conference 2011 and in Tel-Aviv during the convention "Environment 2050" in March 2012. 

 

 

Additional Related Information:

·       The Biomimicry Institute

·       ETRIA- The European TRIZ Association

·       ארגון הביומימיקרי הישראלי

·       ידיעון חדשנות מהטבע

·       לזה חיקינו – עיתון חי

·       בן אדם אחרי קוף – את עיצוב

 

Workshops / Seminars are available in the following subjects:

Email Yoram Reich (yoram @ eng.tau.ac.il)

 

Publications:

·       Helfman, C.Y., Reich, Y., Greenberg, S. What can we learn from biological systems when applying the law of system completeness? TRIZ future, 2011, Dublin, Ireland. 

 

The work was also presented in the following occasions:

·       "Environment 2050", March 2012.

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The work appeared/mentioned in popular press

·       מה הקשר בין עור הכריש ורגל השממית לחיסכון באנרגיה? – מעריב NRG

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Funding:

 

Related Projects include:

 

 


Copyright © 2012 Yael Helfman-Cohen, Yoram Reich
Page URL: http://www.eng.tau.ac.il/~yoram/biomimicry.html

Last modified: 19-Apr-12 8:49:00 AM