This paper explores how Biologically Inspired Design (BID) can be applied in the development of medical devices through a concrete case study. Nature has been developing, over the last 3.8 billion years, the most efficient mechanisms to fulfil a function and overcome challenges. Based on this giant innovation database, BID has received an exponential increase of interest since the 1950s and has led to innovative solutions in a vast variety of fields. The present study is motivated by a medical device which should be designed for insertion in a cavity, followed by a significant expansion inside the cavity. Once expanded, the device should be able to radiate light for disinfection purposes, while simultaneously allowing air replacement in the cavity. Finally, the device should contract to its original size before being extracted from the cavity. In order to propose radically new ideas for designing such a device, BID is applied to a range of functions namely i) how to expand an object after insertion in a cavity, ii) how to promote air circulation in the cavity, iii) how to radiate light to all surfaces in the cavity and finally iv) how to contract the object again. This paper presents and discusses the BID process as well as the outcomes of this study. 25 biological strategies have been identified throughout the project, 7 ideas were generated and 4 more detailed concepts and physical mock-ups emerged from these ideas. 2 of them were considered interesting for further development, which indicates a good efficacy of the process. The whole study lasted 32 working days, suggesting a high efficiency of the BID process.
The use of electricity is so pervasive that life without it is unimaginable today. The scope of electricity is even widening to encompass wearables and draperies in domestic and professional surroundings. The typical way of conducting electricity is through metallic wires and conduits, which often are integrated permanently into engineered products. This means that we have more and more products with mixed materials that are difficult to recycle, thereby creating a major bottleneck towards the achievement of sustainable urban and rural environments. If electricity could be conducted in another way, new design options would become possible. The bioworld offers ways for conducting electricity without metallic interconnects. Examples range from electric discharges by electric eels to electrolocation by fish to bacterial protein networks that conduct electrons. A review of electrical conduction mechanisms in the bioworld suugests the feasibility of incorporating the underlying bioworld principles in engineered products.
We have heavily relied for a few centuries on fossil fuels, which are basically dead plant material that was sequestered and converted millions of years ago, but the rapidly increasing energy demand combined with climatic challenges means we need to develop a large-scale supply of energy from sources without climatic impact. An obvious choice is to use solar energy directly when possible, and a complete global transition to solar energy by 2050 is realistic and cost effective. However, in order to find space for the large areas needed for harvesting solar energy by photovoltaic means, it would be advantageous if solar panels could be incorporated into urban buildings and free land for other uses. We undertook an analysis of the needs and requirements from the building industry that will allow for a more widespread use of solar panels on buildings, also referred to as Building Integrated Photo-Voltaics. Specifications and options for the visual incorporation of the solar panels in the building envelope were identified. Special attention was paid to (i) the role of modularization and standardization in architecture and (ii) the role of color and reflectance. A standardized mounting system is proposed that will allow for modular attachment of solar panels, making it easy to adjust, repair, and replace individual panels. Biological inspiration can be used to improve the system further. The forced-air ventilation of the tunnels of prairie dogs shows how to enhance cooling. The non-iridescent wings of butterflies of the Morpho genus, proposes how a low-cost structurally colored film can be inserted into the solar panel during its assembly.
KEYWORDS: Manufacturing, Organisms, Product engineering, Biomimetics, Control systems, Biological research, Ecosystems, Systems modeling, Raw materials, Energy efficiency
Design for Environment (DfE or ecodesign) aims at developing products with an enhanced environmental performance, without compromising functionality and other key requirements (such as cost and quality). Common DfE guidelines for product design include: reduction of material diversity, extension of useful life (e.g., by enabling repair and upgrade), avoidance of toxic materials and nonrenewable resources, use of recycled components, and ease of disassembly and recyclability after the end of useful life. DfE requires the integration of environmental considerations into the traditional design processes, supporting decisions that could enhance the environmental profile of the product. Biologicallyinspired- design (BID) teams identify and isolate the core principles of relevance for systems, products, and processes from the bioworld for consideration and possible incorporation during each of the design stages. Synergies and potential trade-offs existing between DfE and BID must be considered when integrating the two methodologies into Biologically Inspired Design for Environment for the design of products and systems.
Rooftop solar cells may become more acceptable if they are colored, e.g., red or bluish green, which requires that a certain part of the incoming solar spectrum be reflected. We implemented and optimized an optoelectronic model for Cu2ZnSn(SξSe1-ξ)4 (CZTSSe) solar cells containing (i) a conventional 2200-nm-thick CZTSSe layer with homogeneous bandgap, or (ii) an ultrathin CZTSSe layer with optoelectronically optimized sinusoidally nonhomogeneous bandgap, or (iii) a CZTSSe layer with optoelectronically optimized linearly nonhomogeneous bandgap. Either complete or partial rejection of either red or bluish green photons was incorporated in the model. Calculations show that on average, the efficiency of a typical solar cell will be reduced by about 9% if 50% red photons are reflected or by about 13% if 50% blue-green photons are reflected. The efficiency reduction increases to about 18% if all red photons are reflected or about 26% if all blue-green photons are reflected.
Silicon photovoltaic solar cells generally have a black or blue appearance that makes them aesthetically very different from traditional red roofs that either comprise burned-clay tiles or composite-material shingles. Rooftop solar cells may become more acceptable if they are similar in appearance to traditional roofs. This objective requires that the red part (620–700 nm wavelength) of the incoming solar spectrum be reflected so that it becomes unavailable for photovoltaic generation of electricity. Complete reflection of red photons would result in the reduction of useful solar photons (300– 1200 nm wavelength) by 12.5%. Calculations show that the optical short-circuit density will then decline by: 17% for 100-μm-thick crystalline-silicon solar cells, 20–22% for triple-junction tandem thin-film solar cells of amorphous silicon, 15-16% for 2.2-μm-thick CIGS solar cells, and 16–20% for ultrathin CIGS solar cells. On average, the efficiency of a typical solar cell will have to be multiplied by a factor of 0.8 if all red photons were reflected. This reduction in efficiency can be offset by wider adoption of rooftop solar cells. Red-rejection filters can be made of particulate composite materials containing, say, silica nanospheres. Typically, the solar cells will be iridescent then, which may not be aesthetically pleasing to many. Non-iridescent red-rejection filters can be fabricated by upscaling the linear dimensions of biomimetic filters nano-imprinted to reproduce the Morpho blue, this possibility being guaranteed by the scale invariance of the Maxwell equations and the weak dispersion of the refractive indexes of numerous polymers in the visible spectral regime. Non-uniformly red rooftop solar cells would also become feasible.
Biologically inspired design is attracting increasing interest since it offers access to a huge biological repository of well proven design principles that can be used for developing new and innovative products. Biological phenomena can inspire product innovation in as diverse areas as mechanical engineering, medical engineering, nanotechnology, photonics, environmental protection and agriculture. However, a major obstacle for the wider use of biologically inspired design is the knowledge barrier that exist between the application engineers that have insight into how to design suitable products and the biologists with detailed knowledge and experience in understanding how biological organisms function in their environment. The biologically inspired design process can therefore be approached using different design paradigms depending on the dominant opportunities, challenges and knowledge characteristics. Design paradigms are typically characterized as either problem-driven, solution-driven, sustainability driven, bioreplication or a combination of two or more of them. The design paradigms represent different ways of overcoming the knowledge barrier and the present paper presents a review of their characterization and application.
The stinging proboscis in mosquitos have diameters of only 40-100 μm which is much less than the thinnest medical needles and the mechanics of these natural stinging mechanisms have therefore attracted attention amongst developers of injection devises. The mosquito use a range of different strategies to lower the required penetration force hence allowing a thinner and less stiff proboscis structure. Earlier studies of the mosquito proboscis insertion strategies have shown how each of the single strategies reduces the required penetration force. The present paper gives an overview of the advanced set of mechanisms that allow the mosquito to penetrate human skin and also presents other biological mechanisms that facilitate skin penetration. Results from experiments in a skin mimic using biomimetic equivalents to the natural mechanisms are presented. This includes skin stretching, insertion speed and vibration. Combining slow insertion speed with skin tension and slow vibration reduces the penetration force with 40%.
Self-organisation appeals to humans because difficult and repeated actions can be avoided through automation via
bottom-up nonhierarchical processes. This is in contrast to the top-level controlled action strategy normally applied in
automated products and in manufacturing. There are many situations where it is required that objects perform an action
dependent on external stimuli. An example is automatic window blinds that open or closes in response to sunlight level.
However, simpler and more robust designs could be made using the self-organising principles for movement found in
many plants. Plants move to adapt to external conditions, e.g. sun-flower buds tracking the sun, touch-me-not Mimosa
and Venus fly trap responding to mechanical stimuli by closing leaves to protect them and capture insects respectively.
This paper describes 3 of the basic biomimetic principles used by plants to track the sun; i) light causing an inhibiting
effect on the illuminated side causing it to bend, ii) light inducing a signal from the illuminated side that causes an action
on the darker side and iii) light illuminating a number of sensing plates pointing upwards at an angle activate an
expansion on the same side. A concept for mimicking the second principle is presented. It is a very simple and possible
reliable self-organising structure that aligns a plate perpendicular to the source of illumination.
A range of different beetles exhibits brilliant colours and metallic sheen. One of the most spectacular species is the
Plusiotis resplendens from Central America with gold metal appearance. The beetle shells are made from chitin and have
a number of unique properties that apart from spectacular aesthetic effects include metal sheen from non-metal surfaces
combined with electric and thermal insulation. The reflection mechanism has been studied by a number of authors and is
well understood. Basically there are 2 different reflection principles. One is the multilayer reflector where alternating
layers have high and low refractive index. The other is the Bouligand structure where birefringent chiral nanofibres are
organised in spiral structures. The paper describes work done to explore different approaches to mimic these structures
using polymer based materials and production methods that are suitable for more complex double curved geometry. One
approach is to use alternating layers of 2 different polymers applied by dipping and another is applying cholesteric liquid
crystals in paint. However, none of them can yet make the desired metal-looking free-form surfaces.
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