Biomimetics: its practice and theory

J F V Vincent, O A Bogatyreva, N R Bogatyrev, A Bowyer, Anja Karina Pahl

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

849 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Biomimetics, a name coined by Otto Schmitt in the 1950s for the transfer of ideas and analogues from biology to technology, has produced some significant and successful devices and concepts in the past 50 years, but is still empirical. We show that TRIZ, the Russian system of problem solving, can be adapted to illuminate and manipulate this process of transfer. Analysis using TRIZ shows that there is only 12% similarity between biology and technology in the principles which solutions to problems illustrate, and while technology solves problems largely by manipulating usage of energy, biology uses information and structure, two factors largely ignored by technology.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)471-482
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of The Royal Society Interface
Volume3
Issue number9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2006

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Biomimetics: its practice and theory'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this