Concepts in Biomimetic Design: Methods and Tools to Incorporate Into a Biomimetic Design Course

Abstract

Biomimetic design, the use of nature to inspire solutions to engineering problems, has been practiced on an ad hoc basis throughout human history. Only recently, however, have researchers sought to develop formal tools and principles to effectively tap the wealth of design solutions found within nature. Texas A&M University is developing an undergraduate course to introduce interdisciplinary engineering students to the current concepts, principles, and methods of biomimetic design, as found in published literature. This paper seeks to concisely present the results and conclusions of the many research efforts that will be incorporated into the developing course. The research reviewed in this paper is discussed with some emphasis on its pedagogical implications. Research efforts in applying design tools such as functional modeling, analogical reasoning, and the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) to biomimicry are summarized. This paper also discusses the efforts to develop effective tools to search biological information for design inspiration. As similar courses in biomimetic design have been conducted at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Maryland, the published findings from those courses are also presented.