bio-Logical innovation
Strategy of Design Innovation By Incorporating Natural Reference
Nature
“3.8 billion years of R&D” -Janine Benyus
evolved sustainable solutions to many human design Nature has
problems
Biomimicry?
Bios - life Mimesis - imitation
biomimicry is often oversimplified and misrepresented as creation of man-made objects by copying or mimicking nature The term
Biomimicry is better defined as: biology or nature
inspired design
Inspired design that leads to
advancement by way of innovation
This thesis is about inspired innovation
Humans have
successfully learned from nature
on
numerous occasions...
Lotus Effect Velcro
Chain saw Barbed Wire
Three modes of nature inspired design
Every nature inspired design falls into one of three modes:
Science & Engineering 2 - High Design 3 - Mass Market Design 1-
worthwhile technologies
Look
for
opportunities to apply new technology
This process is commonly known as
applied research
Science & Engineering
Study nature to discover and develop
Roots Rules Relevance of applied research
This approach, often taken by
scientists
and
engineers
is the most prevalent.
3R of applied research
Roots
How did it get to be that way?
Rules
How does it work?
Relevance
How can it be relevant or helpful to humanity?
Source: Robert Full
on toe-pads of a gecko’s feet -Robert Full
Example of science & engineering
Adhesive inspired by microscopic hairs
design resources that facilitate applied research technologies find a connection to human need - Relevance
There are
• Inventables • Material Connexion • Biomimicry Guild Database
statement of
nature inspired design or sustainability
High Design
Corporate or personal
This is the approach taken by
high-profile designers and
image-conscious corporations.
High production cost Low production quantity High profile
inspired by bone geometry
- Ross Lovegrove
Example of high design
Go-Chair
Look for solutions found in nature and
to design
problem
apply
Mass Market Design
Pre-defined human need
Mass market design is
most applicable to the field of industrial design.
But, it is
least common.
3R of applied research
3Rs of applied research adapted for industrial design
source: Robert Full
Roots
How did it get to be that way?
Rules
How does it work?
Relevance
How can it be relevant or helpful to humanity?
Adapted for industrial design 3R+A of industrial design What human need should be focused?
Roots
How did it get to be that way?
Rules
How does it work?
Application Transfer
How do you apply what you have learned?
© charles chul kim, bio-Logical innovation 11.26.05
‘3R+A of industrial design’
Relevance
Opportunity identified!
There is a need to provide industrial designers with
guidelines.
strategy of referencing nature in their practice as a viable solution for the
A
industry.
bio-Logical innovation
strategy of design innovation by incorporating natural reference a
Sustainability, economic viability and elegance in design are the aspirations of bio-Logical innovation
Evaluate examples of nature inspired design
divine limit of human achievement
cognizance
self awareness equity
A metric for nature inspired design:
progressive
bio-Logical Strata
sustainability
coexistence
ecology
systems approach environmental approach
generation
social relation
creation process
behavior
manufacturing process
empathy affordance
Examples of nature inspired design and their placement on the Strata
performance advancement
economic viability
function
utility
engineering
marketing materials engineering manufacturability
adaptive
mechanism
construction
structure
physics anthrophometrics texture
material
inspirational
appearance
aesthetics
color
form
result of intuitive sense
serendipitous bio-Logical strata
did not seek reference
result of happenstance
nomenclature
natural reference :
design analogy:
What aspect of mother nature served as reference?
human application transfer:
How did the reference affect design?
How did the analogy manifest through design?
divine limit of human achievement
cognizance
self awareness
cradle to cradle design (W. McDonough)
equity
progressive
coexistence
ecology
systems approach environmental approach
generation
social relation
biodesign process (F. Lodato)
sustainability
creation process
behavior
manufacturing process
empathy affordance performance advancement
Pax streamlining principle (J. Harman)
economic viability
function
gecko adhesive (R. Full)
utility
engineering
marketing materials engineering manufacturability
anatomical studies (L. DaVinci)
adaptive
mechanism
construction
structure
physics anthrophometrics texture
go chair (R. Lovegrove)
material
inspirational
appearance
aesthetics
color
form
result of intuitive sense
serendipitous bio-Logical strata
did not seek reference
result of happenstance
nomenclature
natural reference :
design analogy:
What aspect of mother nature served as reference?
human application transfer:
How did the reference affect design?
How did the analogy manifest through design?
A new approach to natural inspiration
Creativity is about making connections that are previously unrealized
Combining and recombining Forming relationships and
associations
Looking toward nature opens your eyes to those connnections
Making the connection
Process Inspiration
“learning,� dendrites of a neuron cell searches out and establishes seemingly random connections with other neurons.
In a process of
Designing is a cyclical process of Le
n ar
Learning Analyzing Establishing Connections
An a
ly
ze
Estab
lish
There are three distinct and successive cycles
Open yourself to new perspectives
Connection: associate, relate, combine
Produce
Contemporary industrial design phases
Determine/ Establish
Orientate yourself
Initiate Project
Learn
Narrow possible directions
Establish bearing Learn
Take an empathetic approach to learning about human needs.
Learn
Understand and recognize your biased views on the given topic.
Analyze Determine
Determine your general direction and focus for progress.
Industrial Design
Analyze
Establish direction Learn
Narrow possible connections
Establish connection Learn
Search out applicable connections. Discovery, study and analysis with consideration to depth and breath.
Sort and cull human need and demand to be satisfied. Take economic viability and competitive advantage into consideration.
Make a determination on the direction to pursue connections.
Narrow possible designs
Establish design
Gain indepth working knowledge of reference. Search out other related connections.
Sort and cull knowledge gained. Take technical viability and competitive advantage into consideration.
Make a determination on connection(s) to use as reference.
Learn
Production strategy
Production development Learn
Search out applicable processes and methods of production.
Develop a logic and understanding of how to apply reference to design. Take technology and manufacturability into consideration.
Make a determination on rationale and materialize design.
Marketing strategy
Product Delivery
Search out applicable marketing methods.
Sort and cull for viable production processes.
Recommend marketing strategies that may be utilized.
Make a determination on a strategy for production. Take into consideration manufacturability and economic viability.
Finalized product
bio-Logical innovation defines a natural reference counterpart
Search out and learn using following techniques: Novel combinations: Combine and recombine ideas from biology, science, engineering, philosophy, etc. Relationships: Observe in nature - ordinary phonomina, behaviors, shape and function. Try to form relationships to project. Opposites: Look at nature for complementary ideas and and shapes to apply to project. Metaphore: Look for metaphorical associations between nature and your project.
Learn Determine current evolutionary develpment.
Select-out natural phenomena that cannot be transfered to human application with current technologies.
Analyze Determine function or process to initiate research.
Orientate yourself
Establish Learn bearing
Narrow possible directions
Establish Learn direction
Determine Learn
Analyze
Search out and learn environmental process from nature.
Selection and development of application transfer
Review available processes for environmental impact efficient use of resources sustainability
Select the natural form, material, process, function to reference or adapt.
Determine Initiate Project
Research natural phenomena to gain working knowledge. Learn its roots,rules.
Narrow possible connections
Establish Learn connection
Narrow possible designs
Select a process strategy : with the least environmental impact with the most efficient use of resources that are most sustainable
Establish design
Learn
Production strategy
Production Learn development
Marketing strategy
Product Delivery
Natural Reference
Incorporation of natural reference with industrial design reveals the bio-Logical innovation process
bio-Logical innovation Process Learn
Industrial Design
Analyze
Determine
Initiate Project
Orientate yourself
Establish Learn bearing
Narrow possible directions
Establish Learn direction
Narrow possible connections
Establish Learn connection
Narrow possible designs
Establish design
Learn
Production strategy
Determine Learn
Production Learn development
Marketing strategy
Product Delivery
Natural Reference
Analyze
Open yourself to new perspectives Connection: associate, relate, combine Produce
Making the connection - a case study
Designing the next innovation in our modern stapler
Evolutionary tree of the modern stapler
What is the current evolutionary state of the stapler?
What is the demand or “human need� satisfied by a stapler?
“puncture” “store and release one after another” “stack multiples”
Statement of function or process
“bind 2-20 sheets of paper together”
puncturing in nature piercing in nature stacking in nature
Natural analogies
binding in nature
smart staple/data storage recyclable staples electronic staple
Affinity diagram ideation
easier removal
New demand/need to be satisfied
“organize, group and manage physical (paper) documents�
the receiving body
Metaphorical relationship to nature
stinging and penetrating biological appendages leave something physical imbedded in Many
Connection made!
Natural reference
Nematocysts (stinging cells) & Insect stingers
RFID tagging technology
Technical reference
Passive
Smart Stapler bio-Logical innovation
Networked Computer
Printer
Networked Digital File Database
Link Physical & Digital
Final design
Printed Documents
Smart Stapler System Smart Stapler
Physical File Storage
Connection & Power Via USB
Smart Staple Stapled Documents
Dock & RFID Reader/ Transmitter
Smart Stapler (manual operation) Rubberized Pads
Dock & RIFD Reader / Computer interface L.E.D. Status indicators To USB bus-power and data transfer Antenna for RFID
Smart Stapler / Staple system enables user to tag paper documents and link it to a digital database.
paper
The dock and receiver near the file Stapler System enables placed user to cabinet will catalogue all paper documents documents and itwithin to aadatabase of five feet radius.
digital
link
tag
versions.
The dock and receiver placed near the file cabinet will catalogue all paper documents within a five feet radius.
Tagged Document
Desktop scenario
Smart
Tagged Document (Digital Version)
application of bio-Logical innovation process, happenstance natural inspiration becomes strategic and systematic.
Through the
bio-Logical innovation is a
strategy of innovation.
... Copyright 2005 : Charles Chul kim