Climate Education Series: Biomimicry -What Can Nature Teach Us About Designing

Scientists are now trying to take advantage of nature’s experience. Scientists study wildlife because nature can solve problems our society needs solved. Once we have gathered the information that we need, we can design better products or solutions that mimic nature. This is called biomimicry. Biomimicry expands climate education into the sustainability and sustainable design arenas.

Octopuses are one of the many different species of marine life that fascinate scientists and are part of the cephalopod family. Octopuses are capable of changing their colour. They do this using their colour chromatophores. They change their colour so they can ambush their prey. Essentially, they use camouflage to surprise their prey. They change their colour based on the colour of their surroundings. The octopus has inspired the development of materials that can sense and move to blend in with their surroundings.

Sharks are fierce predators. This is mainly thought to be because of their sharp teeth and powerful bite force. However, there is another ability that sharks have that scientists have replicated: their skin. Shark skin is built upon denticles that are placed very close together to form a very smooth surface. As a result, the shark has an aerodynamic advantage. Product developers have designed swimsuits based on shark skin. Interestingly, these swimsuits have been banned because they give swimmers an unfair advantage.

Dolphins are one of the friendliest types of marine life. People admire how elegant they are. Recently, engineers have designed a device based on one of the many abilities dolphins have-their ultrasonic clicking. Dolphins use this for echolocation and communication. When they make clicking noises to echolocate, sound waves bounce off other animals such as fish or sharks. The sound waves then return, and their brains process the information. This technology could be used for tsunami warnings. To warn people about massive tsunami waves, sensors are placed deep underwater. However, receiving information from a sensor can be tricky. Not only does the message need to travel quickly over a long distance, but it also must travel through water.

Japanese engineers were devoted to improving the front of their trains so that they would not disturb the natural world or damage tunnels. When trains move through tunnels, they create massive shockwaves, which also decrease speed. When engineers observed the kingfisher bird, they redesigned the front of the train to mimic the bird’s shape. Engineers noticed how kingfishers can travel through the air and dive into water to catch prey while barely making a splash (AskNature).

According to research found on AskNature, engineers redesigned the front end of the train to mimic the shape of the kingfisher’s beak. This new design not only reduced noise and eliminated tunnel booms, but it also allowed the train to travel faster and use less electricity.

Mosquitoes are very dangerous vectors for disease transmission. However, scientists have begun to study these pests more closely to understand how to mimic some of their abilities. Scientists have developed a device based on the mosquito’s needle-like bite. When a mosquito pierces the skin, its flexible lip-like cover, called the labium, curls back and stays outside while the mosquito pushes in six separate needle-like structures called stylets. Two of these stylets, called maxillae, contain tiny teeth that are so sharp it is almost impossible to feel the bite. Scientists have recently built a microneedle that mimics the mosquito’s ability to pierce skin while causing minimal pain.

Geckos can stick to surfaces using tiny hairs on their feet. Scientists at Stanford University and NASA are using this ability to design space cleanup devices. The sticky material has synthetic hairs and adheres strongly to surfaces when force is applied to bend the tiny hairs. These Gecko Grippers are designed to grasp large objects and remove them.

The blue mussel attaches itself to rocks using a very strong, water-resistant glue. Because many glues can be toxic, mimicking mussel glue presents many opportunities. For example, scientists are exploring its use in medicine. Proteins in mussel-inspired glue work well with the human body and could reduce the need for staples or sutures.

Assignment 12: Designing with Nature In this assignment, students will learn more about strategies used by nature as they seek new solutions and designs for product development. Students will choose a product of interest (alternatively, the teacher may select a product for the class) to analyze possible design or redesign opportunities based on biomimicry. Using the website www.asknature.org, students will search for similar processes in nature and answer the following question: What in nature can be used to design or redesign your product?

Students may present their designs or redesigns using sketches. Students should label key parts and materials in their designs that have been inspired by animals or plants. The sketches should be displayed for peers to view and ask questions, mirroring a professional poster presentation.