What Is Biomimicry?

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  andrew.trnacek@...09/23/08 Report as spam
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  RE: What Is Biomimicry?

  A brilliant design concept for manufacturing. I wonder if the concept can be expanded into organisational design and social engineering.

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  JannaRaye09/23/08 Report as spam
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  Applying biomimicry to organizational design

  It is being applied to OD, in companies that operate with
  natural hierarchies instead of top-down pyramids. Fractal
  geometry illustrates how nature uses the process of
  iteration to evolve and meet changing conditions. Fractal
  organizations are similarly agile and, like nature, engage
  each individual in collective goals and objectives by
  encouraging self-management and continuous process
  improvement at the team level. Pixar is a great example.

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  qualitymgt04@...09/24/08 Report as spam
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  RE: What Is Biomimicry?

  Today's climate and energy crisis establish a context that virtually demands our assessment of how, when, where and why we continue to consume resources under financial pretenses (e.g., 'cheap' and 'expensive'). What will these terms mean at the time humanity must contend with the ineviatable depletion of [finite] natural resources? We must incur consequences of past generations when they fail to recognize the significance of the lessons before them. We possess knowledge of many problems [a.k.a., 'lessons']. Do we possess the wisdom not to leave them to compound for future generations to suffer? I suggest that Biomimicry is among the most promising of means to carry us into a future that we, and those who follow, will find worthwhile, as well sa exciting.
  
  When modeling objects that possess one or more desirable characteristics, we are seeking to understand and to generate new knowledge by which to apply these characteristics [beneficially] within other contexts. Nature's evolutionary proving grounds serve to provide models of successful implementations that are independent of the 'human approach' to design, have proven successful over time and thus serve as viable designs to model.
  
  In simple terms, Biomimicry seeks to extract knowledge of nature's designs for the purpose of mapping qualified characteristics into other contexts. Many useful designs have and will continue to flow from these efforts. The irony is that, in certain contexts, we may find that the cycle will carry us full-circle.
  
  In the search of methods for carbon sequestration, for example, this methodology may be applied to the study of trees - among the most successful organisms that perform this function. After applying the derived concepts to technologies synthesized for said purpose, we may come to find that management of deforestation and planting more trees remain the most practical among solutions to excess airborne carbon dioxide. Even if so, technologies borne of such knowledge could serve to complement trees by increasing the overall annualized process time as well as the prospective range of environments within which carbon sequestration may occur.
  
  Now that this concept/methodology has been given name, I hope the focus thus imparted fosters a formal discipline. The knowledge to be gained, new appreciation [and hopefully respect] for nature, and the innovative designs spawned from such 'creative observation' hold tremendous potential to solve many classes of problems, including those of climate and energy . . . based upon long-term, proven designs - served up by nature 'herself.'

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  adenuke09/24/08 Report as spam
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  RE: What Is Biomimicry?

  it simply the ability to see something from nothing. This is realy inspiring.

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  mikroth09/24/08 Report as spam
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  RE: What Is Biomimicry?

  Slo-mo film of natural events can reveal patterns for human organizations, as well as industrial design. When people complain about 'the direction we're headed' etc., I point to those films of growing plants : they grow this way and that, yet always with a centred thrust : exploratory, and not rigidly like an iron fist !

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  mikroth09/24/08 Report as spam
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  RE: What Is Biomimicry?

  I suspect that biomimicry has a place in organizations as well as industrial design.
  
  Remember those slo-mo films of growing plants ? I often use the analogy to people who complain about 'the direction we're heading' 'lack of clear aim' etc : plants grow this way and that, like they're nosing around, but always around a spiral, upward, centred movement... not like an iron fist ! That way, they explore the whople situation around them...

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  henomade09/24/08 Report as spam
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  RE: What Is Biomimicry?

  Our world is living on expendable energy resources. Can biommicry tell us how we can replenish these energy stock?.
  Matthew

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  relloyd09/24/08 Report as spam
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  RE: What Is Biomimicry?

  By using enzymes and naturally occurring microbes, we are able to reduce our Carbon dioxide footprint. We can control odors and clean carpets by using green chemistry, which also contains microbes to degrade the organic source. We can keep our drains from clogging by using microbes to do the work without using hazardous chemicals. These products can be found on the grocery shelf....Going Green.

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  pchifamba@...09/24/08 Report as spam
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  RE: What Is Biomimicry?

  How does it compare with cybernetics?

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  Biholla09/24/08 Report as spam
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  RE: What Is Biomimicry?

  In a short while, Biomimicry would be applied to our every daily activities. Wow! i'm looking forward to the humpback whale-inspired fan blades.

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  lindsayb09/24/08 Report as spam
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  RE: What Is Biomimicry?

  @andrew.trnacek: While I was editing this story I came across a blurb in last month's issue of Wired about how biomimicry is being applied to organizational design. One of the examples they cite is what you can learn about collective leadership from geese. From the article:
  
  "When geese fly in a V, the birds rotate in and out of the lead position. This is both to conserve energy and, according to Thompson, because no single bird has memorized the whole route. Collective leadership is the norm in much of the animal world, he says, though rare for humans. In the context of business, groups with rotating leaders possess greater initiative, resilience, and agility than those led by one executive." Here's the whole article: http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/magazine/16-09/st_bugs
  
  Sounds like it's taking the concept a tad far to me, but what do you think?

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  dbianco09/24/08 Report as spam
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  RE: What Is Biomimicry?

  I agree. We must not fall into the trap of trying to make every problem fit one solution.

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  adman9509/24/08 Report as spam
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  RE: What Is Biomimicry?

  pchifamba@... How does it compare with cybernetics?
  
  Good point. Cybernetics is working the other direction- taking technology and finding ways to integrate it with biology. Bionics is any combination of organic biology and technology. Driving a car is bionics. Cybernetics involves direct integration. For example, the "Bionic Man" was a cyborg.

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  NH90509/24/08 Report as spam
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  RE: What Is Biomimicry?

  Additional sources of information can be found at the Biomimicry Institute website (http://biomimicryinstitute.org) which was formed by the Biomimicry Guild to focus on the non-profit initiatives. The Biomimicry Institute publishes a quarterly newsletter and also maintains a number of weblogs.
  
  Aside from the information in the wired articles, I am aware of a few organizations who are applying principles learned from nature to organizational and management issues. Two that come to mind are ThoughtCrew (UK, http://www.thoughtcrew.net) and Malik (Switzerland, http://www.malik-mzsg.ch).
  
  One of the intriguing areas of research involves comparing technological and biological ways of solving problems. Julian Vincent (University of Bath) has been a leader in this area - see http://www.scienceinschool.org/2007/issue4/biomimetics for an overview. His work raises questions about whether our massive use of energy (of any sort) is sustainable, which links back to the question "Our world is living on expendable energy resources. Can biommicry tell us how we can replenish these energy stock?" The simplest answer may be radical efficiency - rely on current energy (such as solar) or stored energy at no more than the rate at which the stores are replenished. There are no magic bullets for rebuilding fossil fuel reserves.
  Norbert

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  majorstu09/25/08 Report as spam
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  RE: What Is Biomimicry?

  I would take issue with the comment that it is the ability to see something with nothing. Rather, it is the ability to see something that has always been there, and apply it in an innovative way. Humpback whales, kingfishers, and burrs, have always been there, at least from living human experience. But when de Mestral applied the concept of how burrs cling to fur and clothing, a brilliant application was inspired.

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  Biomimetics09/26/08 Report as spam
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  RE: What Is Biomimicry?

  I think it important to point out in this discussion that the word 'biomimetics', rather than biomimicry, is the word most frequently encountered when dealing with scientists and engineers at universities worldwide, or in reviewing scientific and technical literature. Biomimetics as seen from their perspective is the exploration and utilization of ?biological paradigms?. These paradigms represent the separate material design and engineering solutions (strategies) that keep each species functioning in its own unique way. In short, these paradigms, bestowed by evolution, are nothing less than biology's crown jewels.
  
  For information on biological paradigms inspiring intellectual property, product developers may want to consider utilizing BioParadigm ACCESS available from Biomimetic Connections, LLC ( http://www.biomimeticsregistry.net ).This information resource consolidates available biomimetic IP information on a monthly basis from universities around the world.

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  spfonglan09/29/08 Report as spam
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  RE: What Is Biomimicry?

  It is reinventing the nature. Afterall mankind should acknowledge the 'Master Inventor' and the more we acknowledge the faster we discover and find ways for utilizing it.
  
  -Dr.Fonglan.

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  vinodkapoor5@...09/30/08 Report as spam
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  RE: What Is Biomimicry?

  The best scientist is none other than the Almighty.It is taking centuries for the man to un ravel his creations but till now despite all acclaims,recognitions,Nobels, he has not even touched the periphery.
  
  Most of our ills are caused by not adhering to His followings. Let the world realise this and follow the path of Nature and then see, what good it does to the mankind. There is so much animosity, hatred, bloodshed, annihilations, deprivations, penury and unnoncerned attitudes - let these be obliterated and let us all be just simple, well meaning, transparent, adaptable, helpful,considerate and compassionate, there would be bliss all around.
  
  Do we really need so many guns and bombs to rule - we just need unadulterated love for all....let the Nature guide us, let birds lead us,let water flows make ways for us and let us all walk together...Lets reinvent nature and thats Biomimicry for me !!

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  null10/06/08 Report as spam
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  RE: What Is Biomimicry?

  Read this article to get a complete picture on Bionics
  
  http://www.itmagz.com/admin/issuepdf/Bionics.pdf
  
  Really neat and thought provoking.

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  osuzannea@...11/21/08 Report as spam
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  RE: What Is Biomimicry?

  utilizing physics to conserve expendable energy sources in mechanical practice

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  initialfan08/10/09 Report as spam
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  RE: What Is Biomimicry?

  Come to think of it, humans had been using biomimicry for years. It's not a new thing. It would be cool to see another biomimicried E30 M3 cruising down the road.