Introduction
Bio-inspired design (also called biomimetics or biomimicry) is a promising
approach for the development of innovative technical products – not only in
mechanical engineering, but also in areas such as material science and even computer
engineering. Innovations such as humanoid robots or multifunctional
materials have shown the potential of bio-inspired design. However, in industrial
companies, bio-inspired design remains an “exotic” approach which is rarely
used in innovation practice. One reason for this is a lack of knowledge on how to
implement bio-inspired design in practice. Therefore, this guide book was written
to explain the application of bioinspired design methods and tools. The target
groups are professional engineers and biologists, as well as students of both disciplines.
The book presents a selection of methods for specific activities in bio-inspired
design, namely: planning a bio-inspired design project, abstraction, search, analysis
and comparison, and transfer of analogies. Factsheets give an overview of each
method, its advantages and challenges, and its suitability for different bio-inspired
design approaches and scenarios. To facilitate understanding, all methods are
explained with the help of the same example. In addition, ten best practice examples
show the practical applicability of bio-inspired design.
The Authors
Dr.-Ing. Helena Hashemi Farzaneh is a researcher at the Technical University of
Munich. She studied mechanical engineering and received her PhD studying the
collaboration between engineers and biologists. Her current research focuses on
bio-inspired design and its integration into the innovation process.
Professor Dr.-Ing. Udo Lindemann is a professor emeritus of the Technical University
of Munich. He was formerly head of the Institute of Product Development
(1995–2016). Udo Lindemann is active on several advisory boards, the National
Academy of Science and Engineering, and is part of the Bavarian Industry Association
Future council. For his outstanding achievements, he received the honorary
title of “TUM Emeritus of Excellence”.
Keywords
biomimeticsinnovationinterdisciplinarityproduct developmentbiologyengineering design