Bio-Mimicry inventions & innovations

Bio-mimicry is used by inventors, engineers and designers to take the R&D that takes place in nature and use it's clean designs, creative solutions and problem solving in modern products. It is a design principle that nature knows best and a solution developed over billions of years, through the forces of evolution is normally a solid one.

Here are some common place inventions and solutions that highlight how bio-mimicry has been used in daily life.

5. Velcro

The story of Velcro is a tale of Bio-mimicry in practice and shows how inventors have sometimes stumbled on million dollar ideas and products. In 1941, George Mestral, a Swiss electrical engineer, went for a walk in the woodlands near his home. He wondered why the burdock seeds in the long grass clung to his pants and the coat of his pet dog. In 1955 he patent the hook and loop fastener.

In modern times, we view Velcro as a product used on cheap belts, shoes and wallets, yet during it’s 70+ years of production. It has earned the maker and his company hundreds of millions in profit. He both invented the product but also patent and copyright the name we know so well.

4. Purfume

Many animals, including the birds of paradise, show incredible displays to attract a mate. From bright plumage, elaborate dance moves and powerful singing. Animal will do much to attract a partner. When it comes to humans we often subconsciously copy them and this is seen clearly in the product of perfume. While animal don’t where perfume, everyone would have heard of pheromones, the chemicals that can cause attraction.

Many perfumes to this day try to mimic this, even with the placement at the “pulse points” we have the animal kingdom to thank for humans trying to smell pleasant and the idea that it could help you to attract a partner.

3. Active sonar

Bats are a fascinating class of creatures, these blind flying mammals can navigate and indeed “see” with sound through their advanced echolocation. Simply put they scream at an object and by the echo of the reply, they know how close or far away it is. While there is some confusion about how radar, sonar and active sonars works. It is active sonar that is based on the bats. Active sonar is most recognizable in films when used by boats to find submarines.

A “ping” of sound is fired into the water and by the echo, an advanced computer can detect how far exactly where the vessel is. While a bat can do this in millisecond with a brain the size of a walnut, we need a computer years of training and expensive hardware.

2. Insulin Production

One of the most fascinating uses of bio-mimicry was to mimic and copy the reproduction and biological process of bacteria to produce insulin. Many breeds of bacteria reproduce at a very rapid rate, in harsh conditions. It has helped millions of people live better lives and add years to their lives. For people suffering from diabetes treatment of the condition requires blood sugar level testing and daily injections.

Prior to the 1980’s when the company ELI LILY began to produce genetically engineered insulin, it was harvested from animals and produced in very low amounts. It is made by hijacking the reproduction of the E.coli bacterium and in many cases yeast spores to create insulin as they replicate.

1. Solar Panels

One of the most impressive biological process is surely trees and plants turning sunlight into energy. Since very early times, man has been experimenting with the concept of using the sun as power source. In roman times concave mirrors were used to the suns light to heat water.

The Photovoltic effect was first discovered in 1839 by the scientist Edmond Becquerel when experimenting with electrolytic cells. The technology has advanced over the years, changing from selenium cells to silicon cells. Further advances in technology are decreasing cost and increasing yield every year.

As you can see from these common-place examples bio-mimicry has a place in the design, creation of new invention and can be used to produce elegant solutions to many of life’s problems.