Introducing students to bio-inspiration and biomimetic design: a workshop experience

Abstract

In recent years, bio-inspired approach to design has gained considerable interest between designers, engineers and end-users. However, there are difficulties in introducing bio-inspiration concepts in the university curriculum in that they involve multidisciplinary work, which can only possibly be successfully delivered by a team with integrated competencies. The aim of this work is summarising the results of the first workshop on bio-inspired design carried out at the Hybrid Design Lab of Seconda Università di Napoli, involving Year 2 students of the BSc in Industrial Design. The common theme proposed for their projects was ''Bio-inspired design of sport''. Ideally, a sport item would need to respond to a number of exigencies, including safety, comfort, zero-energy balance and/or use of renewable energy sources, multi-functionality. The common aim of the projects was investigating in which cases bio-inspiration can assist in the fulfilment of the above exigencies. The students were asked to present examples from nature and, via an abstraction process, to apply them to the design of sport items. Finally, they were required to clarify the nature and the extent of bio-inspiration in their projects. Some of the projects, which were considered more interesting and realisable, are reported and briefly commented, especially on the nature, extent and appropriateness of their bio-inspiration. A test for feedback has been given to the students, whose scope, structure and general outcome is also discussed.

The BioS4You European Project: An Innovative Way to Effectively Engage Z-Generation Students in STEM Disciplines

“…This would enable the student not only to elicit some information from the relevant branch of science but especially communicating with experts using appropriate technical definitions, so as to apply the above knowledge to the specific design issue, as explicated, for example, in Table 1 (Forms of bio-inspiration and related examples) of Ref. [41].…”

Enhancing creativity through Biological Stimuli during new products ideation

“…Lately, although not recent, the inspiration on biological systems have been gaining the attention of design teams and researchers [13,21,33,41,42,45,46,47,51] as the investigations advance on how natural systems work [25] and, mainly, how they are capable of performing actions with efficiency [24]. This field of studies destined to the understanding and application of biological systems characteristics (e.g.…”

Stitchtures

“…Looking at nature and biological systems in design has led to the development of new practices like bio-inspired design and biomorphism. Santulli [15] distinguishes these two practices by explaining that biomorphism aims at mimicking functions and morphologies of natural structures while bio-inspiration focuses on transferring qualities and strategies inspired by nature through an abstraction process. For example, Pax Technologies used the shape of Calla Lilies to create an impeller that mixes liquids more efficiently and with less energy or WhalePower which designs turbine blades with a leading edge shaped like a Humpback Whale's fin to combat wind turbulence [18].…”