Biomimicry

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Biomimicry (from bios, meaning life, and mimesis, meaning to imitate) is an ancient concept recently[when?] returning to scientific thought that examines nature, its models, systems, processes, and elements— and emulates or takes inspiration from them to solve human problems sustainably. Scientific and engineering literature often uses the term Biomimetics for the process of understanding and applying biological principles to human designs. This includes biomaterials, biomechanics, biological systems composed of individuals of one species (e.g., schools, herds and swarms), or multispecies ensembles.

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Researchers, for example, learn from and emulate termites' ability to maintain virtually constant temperature and humidity in their Sub-Saharan Africa homes despite an outside temperature that varies from 3 °C to 42 °C (35 °F to 104 °F). Project TERMES (Termite Emulation of Regulatory Mound Environments by Simulation) scanned a termite mound and created 3-D images of the mound structure, which revealed construction that may ultimately influence human building design. The Eastgate Centre, a mid-rise office complex in Harare, Zimbabwe, (highlighted in this Biomimicry Institute case-study) stays cool without air conditioning and uses only 10% of the energy of a conventional building its size.

Modeling echolocation in bats in darkness has lead to a cane for the visually impaired. Research at the University of Leeds, in the UK, led to the UltraCane, a product formerly manufactured, marketed and sold by Sound Foresight Ltd.

Janine Benyus, a scientist and author, refers in her books to spiders that create web silk as strong as the Kevlar used in bulletproof vests. Engineers could use such a material—if it had a long enough rate of decay—for parachute lines , suspension bridge cables, artificial ligaments for medicine, and many other purposes.

Other research has proposed adhesive glue from mussels, solar cells made like leaves, bionic cars inspired by the boxfish, fabric that emulates shark skin, harvesting water from fog like a beetle, and more. Nature’s 100 Best is a compilation of the top hundred different innovations of animals, plants, and other organisms that have been researched and studied by the Biomimicry Institute.

A display technology based on the reflective properties of certain morpho butterflies was commercialized by Qualcomm in 2007. The technology uses Interferometric Modulation to reflect light so only the desired color is visible to the eye in each individual pixel of the display.

Biomimicry is an innovation method that seeks sustainable solutions by emulating nature's time-tested patterns and strategies, e.g., a solar cell inspired by a leaf. The goal is to create products, processes, and policies---new ways of living---that are well-adapted to life on earth over the long haul. In 2009, Northwestern University's Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art presented a film series based on the idea of Biomimicry. The eponymous series addressed issues of advanced cybernetic technology and how its integration subverts conceptions of humanity and consciousness, forcing society to question the division between nature and creation.

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