Introduction to Biomimetics: The Wealth of Inventions in Nature as an Inspiration for Human Innovation - Biomimetics: Biologically Inspired Technologies - page 2

1.6.6 Mimicking Sea Creatures with Controlled Stiffness Capability ............................................ 23
1.6.7 Biology as a Source for Unique Properties and Intelligent Characteristics........................... 23
1.6.8 Multifunctional Materials ....................................................................................................... 23
1.6.9 Biomimetic Processes ............................................................................................................. 23
1.7 Bio-Sensors........................................................................................................................................... 24
1.7.1 Miniature Sensors in Biomimetic Robots............................................................................... 24
1.7.2 MEMS-Based Flow Detector Mimicking Hair Cells with Cilium......................................... 25
1.7.3 Collision Avoidance Using Whiskers ..................................................................................... 25
1.7.4 Emulating Bats' Acoustic Sensor ........................................................................................... 25
1.7.5 Acoustic and Elastic Wave Sensors........................................................................................ 26
1.7.6 Fire Monitoring ....................................................................................................................... 26
1.7.7 Sense of Smell and Artificial Nose......................................................................................... 26
1.7.8 Sense of Taste and Artificial Tongue ..................................................................................... 27
1.8 Robotics Emulating Biology ................................................................................................................ 28
1.8.1 Artificial Muscles .................................................................................................................... 31
1.8.2 Aerodynamic and Hydrodynamic Mobility............................................................................ 32
1.8.3 Social and Other Biological Behaviors .................................................................................. 33
1.9 Interfacing Biology and Machines ....................................................................................................... 34
1.9.1 Telepresence and Teleoperation ............................................................................................. 34
1.10 Conclusions .......................................................................................................................................... 36
Acknowledgments............................................................................................................................................. 36
References ......................................................................................................................................................... 37
Websites............................................................................................................................................................ 40
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Imagine a smart microchip that is buried in the ground for a long time. Upon certain triggering
conditions this chip begins to grow and consume materials from its surroundings, converting them
into energy and structural cells. As the chip grows further, it reconfigures its shape to become a
mobile robot. Using its recently created mobility, the chip becomes capable of searching and
locating critical resources consuming them to grow even more. The type and function of the
specific cells that are formed depend on each cell's role within the growing structure. This
science-fiction scenario is inspired by true-life biology such as the growth of chicks from an egg
or plants from a seed. Yet given all our technological advances, it is still impossible to engineer
such a reality.
Bionics as the term for the field of study involving copying, imitating, and learning from biology
was coined by Jack Steele of the US Air Force in 1960 at a meeting at Wright-Patterson Air Force
Base in Dayton, Ohio (Vincent, 2001). Otto H. Schmitt coined the term Biomimetics in 1969
(Schmitt, 1969) and this field is increasingly involved with emerging subjects of science and
engineering. The term itself is derived from bios, meaning life, and mimesis, meaning to imitate.
This new science represents the study and imitation of nature's methods, designs, and processes.
While some of its basic configurations and designs can be copied, many ideas from nature are best
adapted when they serve as inspiration for human-made capabilities. In this topic, both biologically
inspired and biologically mimicked technologies are discussed, and the terms biology, creatures,
and nature are used synonymously.
Nature has always served as a model for mimicking and inspiration for humans in their desire
to improve their life. By adapting mechanisms and capabilities from nature, scientific approaches
have helped humans understand related phenomena and associated principles in order to engineer
novel devices and improve their capability. The cell-based structure, which makes up the majority
of biological creatures, offers the ability to grow with fault-tolerance and self-repair, while doing