The History Of Biomimicry

Biomimicry, one great invention.
“I think the biggest innovations of the twenty-first century will be the intersection of biology and technology. A new era is beginning”. (jobs, 2011) (Stafford, 2011). The intersection between biology, the nature, and the technology is known as Biomimicry. Biomimicry seeks to mimic some structure or a function that exists into the nature. The first invention inspired by the nature was the Velcro in 1951. The fastener was mimicking the seeds that stick to animal fur. But in these days biomimicry represents more developed application like the bullet train in Japan. Which is inspired by the Kingfisher's beak. (Biomimicry, 2012). Through millions of years the nature has been developing and producing different shapes…show more content…
The material is one of the main blocks for any design; the right material should be chosen to fit the purpose of the device for instance. The first invention that was inspired from the nature, the Velcro, was based on the material. The seeds has tiny hooks that help them to stick to animals. More advanced technologies were able to manufacture a material that is able to change its stiffness. Inspired from sea cucumbers; Scientists made a micro-fiber that becomes pliant when the water is added. (Drake, 2013). Despite the development in technologies the human technology is still behind the nature. There are some differences between how nature and the technology is manufacturing the materials. First, the elements itself. The technology has much wider elements range to choose from but still these elements are used in much simpler way than the nature could use it. In creature the material is usually consists of complex polymers that will be hard to be produced artificially. The second main difference is the process of manufacturing. The nature often uses self-assembling particles to produce complex structure in three-dimensional space. While the human technology select a material to fabricate the structure in multi-step process. (Interface, 2007). The nature gave a new definition to the material in engineering where it could be smart despite the differences between the nature and the…show more content…
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