Understanding Bio-Inspired Engineering
Bio-Inspired Engineering or biomimicry is the approach of learning from the natural world to solve human problems. Engineers don’t just copy the nature, but rather they find the principles behind how plants, animals or ecosystems, for instance, work and apply these principles in their projects.
Quite certainly, it’s using nature as a textbook for innovation.
Why Engineers Study Nature
One of the reasons why engineers look up to nature is that it has refined its designs through more than one million trees of years. Every creature and plant has evolved in extremely clever and efficient ways. The aim of the engineers is to generate eco-friendly, energy-efficient, and sustainable solutions to the real-world problems by learning the natural tricks. This is very promising because the level of energy consumption, mobility, durability, and carbon footprint are achievable to be improved by this method.
Soft Robots Inspired by Nature
Many modern robots are designed by copying the movement of animals.
For example:
- Doctors are assisted in carrying out risky surgeries by robots having soft and pliable arms inspired by octopuses.
- Snake-like robots, being able to move into very tight spaces, are used for rescue operations.
- Moreover, robots modeled on fish can be used for underwater research as they swim with ease in water.
Such robots are less dangerous to humans and have higher survivability in different settings.
Self-Cleaning Surfaces from Lotus Leaves
One of the most water-repellent objects in nature is the lotus leaf, which is why engineers decided to copy this feature from it and apply it to surfaces that don’t need regular cleaning and have to resist water and dirt. This has led to the appearance of various industries such as waterproof coatings, stain-resistant fabrics, and windows that clean themselves.
Flight Technology Inspired by Birds and Insects
To come up with better flying machines, engineers look at how birds use air currents to glide and how insects keep their balance in flight. Consequently, this is the main cause behind the energy-efficiency, smoothness of flight, and stability even in harsh weather conditions, of drones and airplanes.
Green Buildings Inspired by Termite Mounds
One of the main reasons behind the cooling inside a termite mound is its specially structured airflow that keeps the hot air out while cool air comes in. Following this idea, the engineers have also taken the same concept to structures. Therefore, typical modern eco-friendly buildings are equipped with the natural ventilation system, which is the main contributor to the lowering of the electricity and air-conditioning use.
How Bio-Inspired Engineering Shapes the Future
This area is relentlessly pioneering technologies in such fields as robotics, architecture, transportation, and medical technology. It helps to yield energy-efficient products with features that are environment-friendly, self-sufficient, and low on maintenance.
Bio-inspired design is one of the foremost enablers for technologies that are future-proof, eco-friendly, and intelligent.
The Reason Behind The Popularity Of This Subject
Nowadays, industries are after solutions that not only bring them competitive advantages but also keep their business model sustainable along with being environment friendly. Bio-Inspired Engineering is the perfect answer to these demands.
Moreover, it goes in very good harmony with present-day working themes like smart materials, soft robotics, sustainable design, and nature-based technologies. Hence, it is a topical issue of paramount importance in engineering research and emerging technologies.
Final Thoughts
The study of Bio-Inspired Engineering tells us that nature is probably the biggest inventor ever and its existing creations may hold the key to our biggest challenges. Looking to nature to come up with new solutions is proving to be more and more attractive, not least because it usually results in energy-efficient, sustainable and elegant solutions.
Indeed, it is teaching us a valuable lesson that the world of tomorrow may depend on how well we understand the one today.
