Featured Strategies:Autodesk design competition 1 of 19
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Body shape reduces friction: dolphin
The body of the dolphin has low friction in water by having an optimal length to diameter ratio.
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Maintain physical integrity > |
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Manage structural forces > |
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Turbulence |
| Biomimetic Application Ideas | |
| Increasing efficiency of air, ground, and water transportation by decreasing friction. |
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Scales form protective layer: bony fish
Some bony fish protect themselves with a layer of smooth-edged cycloid scales made of bone.
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Maintain physical integrity > |
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Protect from biotic factors > |
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Animals |
| Biomimetic Application Ideas | |
| Ship surfaces with reduced drag, roof tile design to manage water flow. |
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Fur provides insulation: polar bear
Hair of polar bear insulates it from cold because it has low emissivity in infrared.
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Maintain physical integrity > |
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Manage structural forces > |
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Extreme temperature |
| Biomimetic Application Ideas | |
| Highly effective insulation for extremely cold conditions; camouflage clothing to avoid infrared detection; light and easily manipulated building material; more efficient solar water heaters. |
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Beak protects during dives: cape gannet
The beak of a gannet allows it to dive deeply at high speed because it lacks external nostrils.
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Maintain physical integrity > |
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Protect from abiotic factors > |
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Excess liquids |
| Biomimetic Application Ideas | |
| Public transportation systems that function well and efficiently at high speeds, small planes designed to make safe emergency landings in water, water storage tanks and packaging designs that resist leakage. |
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Multiple component glue aids underwater adhesion: barnacle
The proteinaceous cement substance produced by barnacles allows tenacious underwater attachment due to cooperation of four cement proteins.
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Move or stay put > |
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Attach > |
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Permanently |
| Biomimetic Application Ideas | |
| Underwater adhesives. |
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Adhesive works under water: an aquatic bacterium
Holdfast of aquatic bacterium adheres under water using powerful adhesive.
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Move or stay put > |
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Attach > |
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Permanently |
| Biomimetic Application Ideas | |
| Repairing ships at sea, alternatives to sutures and staples in surgical procedures, construction adhesives (such as attaching stone facades to buildings, concrete slabs inside tunnels, bridges, creating strong seals in sewage pipe joints to avoid sewage leaks or groundwater infiltration). |
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Stretch receptors aid sound detection: silicon cricket
The hearing organs of the silicon cricket detect sound vibrations and their direction via chordotonal organs called stretch receptors.
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Process information > |
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Sense signals/environmental cues > |
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Sound and other vibrations |
| Biomimetic Application Ideas | |
| Hearing aids, location of sound sources. |
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Bubble allows breathing underwater: Potamodytes beetle
The Potamodytes beetle creates an underwater respiratory bubble via Bernoulli's principle.
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Get, store, or distribute resources > |
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Capture, absorb, or filter > |
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Gases |
| Biomimetic Application Ideas | |
| Getting a sample of gas from the atmosphere without having to actually enter the physical environment. Being immersed in fluid allows for different observations than observing through the surface, thus this technique might allow for permanent underwater applications or living environments without specialized breathing apparatus. |
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Scales provide flexible, strong protection: pangolin
Scales of pangolins provide flexibility yet strong protection by overlapping like roof shingles.
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Maintain physical integrity > |
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Protect from biotic factors > |
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Animals |
| Biomimetic Application Ideas | |
| Protective packaging, flexible roofing or wall materials. |
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Senses detect epileptic seizures: dog
Dogs can determine when their owners are about to have an epileptic seizure by sensing subtle cues.
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Process information > |
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Sense signals/environmental cues > |
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Disease |
| Biomimetic Application Ideas | |
| Epilepsy detection devices. |
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Swimming efficiently: sharks
Sharks are efficient swimmers in part due to their complex hydroskeleton.
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Modify > |
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Modify physical state > |
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Size/shape/mass/volume |
| Biomimetic Application Ideas | |
| Ship hulls that mimic functionality of hydrostats. Swim suit that assists flotation. |
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Swimming forward and backward: knife fish
The knife fish can swim forward and backward by undulating the elongated fin running along its back.
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Move or stay put > |
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Move > |
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In/on liquids |
| Biomimetic Application Ideas | |
| Efficient underwater propulsion. |
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Light generated chemically: firefly
Fireflies inhale oxygen and exhale light with help from an enzyme.
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Make > |
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Generate/convert energy > |
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Radiant energy (light) |
| Biomimetic Application Ideas | |
| Biological imaging (tracking tumor growth), food safety (pathogen bacteria contain ATP that can kick-start the firefly bioluminescence reaction, allowing rapid and highly sensitive detection of bacterial contamination in food), underwater emergencies (automatic lighting of life vests, or exit routes in submerged planes or boats when batteries don't function). |
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Electricity helps communications: mormyrid electric eels
The mormyrid electric fish communicate during courtship using electrical displays by varying waveform and pulse intervals.
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Process information > |
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Send signals > |
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Electrical/magnetic |
| Biomimetic Application Ideas | |
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Hydrophobic surface allows self-cleaning: sacred lotus
Leaves of the sacred lotus are self-cleaning thanks to nanoscale bumps.
| Biomimicry Taxonomy | |
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Maintain physical integrity > |
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Protect from abiotic factors > |
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Dirt/solids |
| Biomimetic Application Ideas | |
| Self-cleaning, water-repellent surfaces |
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Hole structure strengthens bone: horse
A metacarpal bone of a horse avoids structural weakness caused by a hole via stress-dispersing microstructure.
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Get, store, or distribute resources > |
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Distribute > |
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Energy |
| Biomimetic Application Ideas | |
| Use for increasing strength of airplanes, boats, automobiles, other structures that have holes for wiring or fuel and hydraulic lines. (A quick rule of efficiency in the aerospace industry is that one pound of weight saved in a plane can save 10 pounds of fuel.) |
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Wing scales aid thermoregulation: green birdwing butterfly
The wing scales of a green birdwing butterfly help regulate body heat by using a honeycomb structure to enhance black pigments found in the wings.
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Maintain physical integrity > |
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Regulate physiological processes > |
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Homeostasis |
| Biomimetic Application Ideas | |
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Marking unrewarding routes: pharaoh ant
Foraging members of Pharaoh ant colonies guide fellow foragers away from unrewarding routes via a repellent pheromone.
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Maintain community > |
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Coordinate > |
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Groups (self-organize) |
| Biomimetic Application Ideas | |
| Pest control strategies that direct pests away from crops or kitchens. |
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Web absorbs impacts: spiders
Webs of araneid spiders absorb impacts via microscopic engineering.
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Maintain physical integrity > |
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Manage structural forces > |
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Impact |
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Biomimicry was the theme for 1,684 teams of 42,100 high-school students competing in the Autodesk FIRST Visualization Competition. Winners' animations are found linked to the inspiring strategy.
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