Bio-Inspired Design: An Overview Investigating Open Questions From the Broader Field of Design-by-Analogy

Abstract

Bio-inspired design and the broader field of design-by-analogy have been the basis of numerous innovative designs throughout history; yet there remains much to be understood about these practices of design, their underlying cognitive mechanisms, and preferred ways in which to teach and support them. In this paper, we work to unify the broader design-by-analogy research literature with that of the bio-inspired design field, reviewing the current knowledge of designer cognition, the seminal supporting tools and methods for bio-inspired design, and postulating the future of bio-inspired design research from the larger design-by-analogy perspective. We examine seminal methods for supporting bio-inspired design, highlighting the areas well aligned with current findings in design-by-analogy cognition work and noting important areas for future research identified by the investigators responsible for these seminal tools and methods.Supplemental to the visions of these experts in bio-inspired design, we suggest additional projections for the future of the field, posing intriguing research questions to further unify the field of bio-inspired design with its broader resident field of design-by-analogy. INTRODUCTIONBio-inspired design is a cutting edge field of inquiry and practice, founded by thinkers such as Steele (bionics, 1950s), Schmitt (biomimetics, 1950s) RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Comparative Qualitative Research MethodFigure 1 depicts the comparative qualitative research methodology employed for analysis in this paper, defined by five steps: (1) examining the larger body of analogy literature and choosing a subset to identify cognitive mechanisms for design-by-analogy; (2) categorizing key findings from the analogy literature; (3) studying an existing set of seminal tools and methods for bioinspired design, and the principles and considerations that underlie them, (4) reviewing the literature that addresses the cognitive psychology of bio-inspired design, and (5) analyzing gaps in the literature, questions yet to be addressed, and the future of the field of bio-inspired design.Katherine Fu MD-14-1381 3 Examining and Reducing Analogy LiteratureWe began by considering the research findings of those who study analogy. Identifying and investigating hundreds of contributions, the literature included in the analysis of this paper was chosen based on whether the publication advanced empirical understanding of how humans, often designers, work with analogy. Papers not included were those presenting tools or methods for design-by-analogy, unless in testing them, they uncovered and reported underlying cognitive mechanisms of design-by-analogy. The goal of this step was to characterize the current state of scientific knowledge around analogy, both generally and with respect to engineering design, in order to create a context within which bio-inspired design and its future as a field of inquiry is and should be considered. Categorizing and Synthesizing Key Findings from Analogy LiteratureThe subset of the larger body of an...

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