- a word derived from “bios” meaning life and “mimesis ... · BIOMIMICRY | DESIGN INSPIRED BY NATURE 1 INTRODUCTION FOR TEACHERS Biomimicry - a word derived from “bios”

TEACHER RESOURCE PACKBIOMIMICRY | DESIGN INSPIRED BY NATURE

1 INTRODUCTION FOR TEACHERS

Biomimicry- a word derived from “bios” meaning lifeand “mimesis”, meaning to imitate.

In its 3.8 billion year history, nature has foundsolutions to many design and engineeringproblems that we are trying to solve. The principle of following nature’s example is not a new one. Leonardo Da Vinci’s sketchbooksare littered with examples of drawings and ideasclosely linked to designs found in the naturalworld. His helicopter idea, for example, wasinspired by a sycamore seed.

The Wright brothers and other flight pioneerscommonly observed birds in their quest todevelop their flying machines.

Today, flight engineers at BAE Systems aremodelling new wing shapes and functionsbased upon the structure of bird wings, andscanning technology in the aircraft cockpit isinformed by the eye structure and capabilities of the harrier, bird of prey.

There are many examples of human-engineeredapplications and living things that exhibit similar

fundamental characteristics. Sometimes theseare unintentional: think of the similaritiesbetween a canoe paddle and a freshwater turtleleg. At other times, the inventor deliberatelymimicked something in nature.

Perhaps one of the most celebrated examples isvelcro, the hook and loop fastening system thatreplaces the need for zips and buttons.

In 1948, the Swiss Engineer, George de Mestralnoticed that, on returning from a walk with hisdog, his trousers and his dog’s pelt were coveredwith seed pods from a cocklebur, a kind ofthistle. Studying a single seed pod under amicroscope, he noted it was covered with tinyhooks that readily attached to animal fur andfabric fibres. De Mestral applied the plant’ssimple seed dispersal mechanism to create astrong safe temporary fastener, calling thisproduct velcro, from “velours” meaning velvet,and “cro” from crochet, meaning hook.

About this packThese materials are produced, copyright free for use inschools. There are many more downloadable resources onthe BAE Systems website for both teachers and pupils at www.baesystems.com/education

The Japanese Bullet TrainThe Shinkansen or Bullet Train inJapan can travel at over 200 milesper hour and is the fastest in the world.However, in its early design phase, theprototype trains had a real problem - noise.Every time the train came out of a tunnel, itwould produce an extremely loud bangbecause of the change in air pressure.

Engineers looked to nature to solve thisproblem. They noticed that when a kingfisherdives through the air and into water to catchfish, it creates very little splash - the beak partsthe water easily so when the bird enters thewater - it does so with a little plop rather than agreat big explosion.

Hence the engineers designed the nose of thetrain to copy the shape of the kingfisher beakand in doing so were able to create a muchquieter train (as well as help the train go evenfaster and use less energy).

SOME EXAMPLES OF BIOMIMICRY

2 RESOURCE FOR PUPILS

The Mercedes-Benz bionic concept vehicleWhen Mercedes-Benz engineers werelooking to design a new aerodynamicconcept car, they looked under the seato find inspiration from fish.

The bright yellow boxfish was the one thatcaught their attention because it has a largebody but is able to swim very fast because ofits low drag co-efficient and rigid exoskeleton.(They needed their car to have a lot of roominside whilst being streamlined and solid at thesame time).

Their design was so successful that it proved tohave one of the lowest drag co-efficientreadings of any car, and now Daimler havebought the design with a view to producingthese cars in the future.

The Eastgate CentreBiomimicry has also been useful inhelping architects and designers withtheir ideas for buildings. The engineering firm Ove Arup, modelledtheir design of the Eastgate Centre officecomplex in Harare Zimbabwe after thestructure of a termite mound.

Termites build very tall mud towers in some ofthe hottest countries of the world to housecommunities of hundreds of thousands oftermites. To ensure that the inside of thetermite mounds keep cool, the termites buildtheir towers in such a way that air is constantlycirculating throughout the structure, keeping it at a cooler temperature than the air outside.

The architects at Arup designed the internalstructure of the Eastgate Centre followingsimilar principles and have developed a systemfor heating and cooling that is one of the most

Self-cleaning paint, textiles and glassCertain species of plants, includingthe lotus flower, have leaves thatkeep themselves clean by forcingwater to ball up on their leaves intowater droplets. These attract thedirt molecules which stick to thembefore rolling off the leaf, leaving itspotlessly clean.

The idea of self-cleaning surfaces on paintedareas, windows or even textiles has beenturned into a reality by studying the surface ofthe lotus leaves and manufacturing productsthat have the same structure as the leaves.

efficient systems in the world, reducing energyconsumption by up to 90% when compared toother buildings of comparable size.

www.daimler.com

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EXERCISE


See if you canmatch up theimages from naturewith the productsthat they haveinspired.

www.whalepower.com

www.whalepower.com

www.paxscientific.com

www.biopowersystems.com

Then check out the following websites to find out more about how each ofthese natural phenomena have influenced the design of each product.

www.designboom.comwww.teachersdomain.org/resources/biomimicrywww.brainz.org/15-coolest-cases-biomimicrywww.science.howstuffworks.com/evolution/biomimicrywww.treehugger.com/9examplesofbiomimicrywww.biomimicryinstitute.orgwww.AskNature.org

BAE SYSTEMS AND BIOMIMICRYINSECT-INSPIRED AUTONOMOUS ROBOTS


Most of us tend to think of robots asmachines that look and move like humanbeings, or large automated machines thatput cars together. However, humans areprobably not the best biological model forreally useful robots.

For mobility, insects are muchbetter at covering different kindsof terrain, and their ability to flyplus small size means they cango almost anywhere undetected.Insect eyes are far better than human eyes too -they offer greater detail and also greater range andtherefore it is no surprise that engineers at BAE Systems have started to experiment withrobots that mimic a whole range of insects fromspiders to dragon flies.

THE MAST PROGRAMME

Discovering what nature can teach us about howanimals and insects sense their surroundings,and how they manoeuvre around and performcomplex behaviours, is what this programme isall about. Asking questions like ‘ How does a beefind its way back to its hive?’ or ‘How do antcolonies work collaboratively together toaccomplish tasks that would be impossible ontheir own?’ helps engineers find solutions tochallenges they face such as getting multiplerobots working together to accomplish tasksthat couldn’t be done by a single robot.

These tiny robots are fully autonomous andequipped with a range of sensors, includingvisual, audio, thermal, magnetic, chemical,location and orientation capabilities.

A prototype fly-like robot has been created thatweighs less than an ounce and has a wingspanof 1.18 inches. This has lightweight carbonjoints which enable the wings to beat at 110times a second – just like a real fly!

Check out this website addressWatch a BAE Systems computer-generated video showingwhat their robot insects will look like in action. Called theMicro Autonomous Systems and Technology ( MAST )programme, this 10 year project at BAE Systems is focused on creating the next generation of micro robotic systems. www.baesystems.com/capabilities/technologyinnovation/newtechnologies/roboticinsects/index.htm

BAE SYSTEMS AND BIOMIMICRYICE SKATE STRUCTURE INSPIRED BY BIRD BONES


Since January 2008, BAE Systems hasbeen working with UK Sport in a five-yearpartnership initiative to provide £1.5mworth of engineering time and resource tosupport British athletes in preparing forsporting success at the Olympics,Paralympics, World and EuropeanChampionships.

The first fruit of that partnershiphas come with new personalbests and British recordsachieved by the UK’s speedskating team after thesuccessful development ofrevolutionary new titanium bladebrackets developed at Wartonand sophisticated measurementand data assessment at BAESystems’ Advanced TechnologyCentre (ATC).

Billy Beggs, Concept Demonstration Managerfor MAS, who has worked on the project withgraduate engineer Simon Flinn, explained thatthe improvements he and his team made indeveloping the new brackets followed aconversation with a surgeon and a discussionabout “bone structure.”

“We realised that much of the strength andlightness of bone structure comes from it’shollow structure and if we could replicate this in the way we used titanium to replace thetraditional aluminium brackets we could produce a double advantage.”

ExerciseLook around your classroom and see if you can spotany other examples of biomimicry? Or you could lookaround your school or at home for examples. Do a drawing of the object that you think has beeninspired by nature and also do a drawing of thenatural phenomenon that was the inspiration behind the object.

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BAE SYSTEMS AND BIOMIMICRYSTICKY TAPE WITH THE SAME PROPERTIES AS GECKO FEET


Geckos are amazing - they can climb upvertical walls - even glass. And scientistsand engineers at the Advanced TechnologyCentre at BAE Systems wanted to find outhow they did it - small suckers on their feet,perhaps - or some kind of glue?

No. In fact the soles of geckofeet are covered with millions oftiny hairs with split ends. At theend of each split end is a tinymushroom - shaped cap, lessthan one thousandth of amillimetre across.

These tiny hairs ensure that, whatever theroughness under foot, the gecko’s toes arealways in close contact with the surface - soclose that molecular forces of attraction create agrip without any pressure. The grip is released bya peeling action when the gecko lifts its foot.

Once the scientists at BAE Systems hadunderstood how the gecko feet worked, they setabout creating their own gecko skin which theyrealised could have tremendous engineeringpotential. Repair patches for holes in fuel tanksor aeroplane skins are obvious examples.

The idea was to produce a product that couldstick on any surface, without glue or screws. Andthe scientists have now managed to produce amaterial that has a pull - off force of 3000kg persquare metre - in other words, a sheet of thismaterial just over 60 centimetres square couldbe used to suspend the weight of an averagefamily car. How cool is that?

THE SCHOOLS’ CHALLENGEWIN A VIP EXPERIENCE THAT MONEY CAN’T BUY!


What can you win?We have some fantastic prizes that include a day out with the RedArrows or a day at our Warton base where they make the Typhoonjets. Both days include up - close tours, interviews with engineersand pilots, and a free lunch - a real VIP experience that moneycan’t buy.Dates will be determined by the respective sites at RAF Scampton and Warton. Unfortunately wemay not be able to accommodate requests for alternative dates because of operational restrictions.

So now you know something about biomimicry we’regoing to set you the challenge of solving a designproblem by looking to nature for the answer.

What are the restrictions?There are two age categories:Primary 9 - 11 and Secondary 12 - 14You can either enter as a team (No more than four in each team) or as an individual.Each entry application must be submitted by a teacher at your school. It is expected that a teacher from your school will accompany the winning pupils/teams on the day.

THE SCHOOLS’ CHALLENGETHE CHALLENGE


We want you to come up with ideas forany one of the following challenges...

CHALLENGE BDesign a chair that can beused by an adult whichincorporates some featurethat has been inspired by nature.

CHALLENGE CAt BAE Systems we design andbuild systems, vehicles,submarines, boats and aircraft that can operate on land, at sea or in the air. Have a look at ourwebsite to get a better idea of thethings we create.www.baesystems.com/educationFor this challenge we would like you to create abiomimicry-inspired design that we might use at BAE Systems to solve a problem in either our land, seaor air functions. It could be a revolutionary new wingbased on the design of a leaf - or a brilliant new way ofcrossing water without getting wet, inspired by thoseinsects that can stand on water without breakingthrough the surface tension.

CHALLENGE ADesign a roof structure for alarge stadium like the BeijingOlympic Arena (The Birds NestStadium) that takes itsinspiration from nature.We don’t want you to copy existing designs likethe ones on the Wembley Stadium or theCentre Court at Wimbledon - you might want todesign a roof for your local football stadium,for example.

THE SCHOOLS’ CHALLENGETHINGS TO CONSIDER WITH YOUR DESIGN


Make sure your design stands outfrom the rest...

Think about how strong your design ideaneeds to be. If you are designing a chair,what can you do to make sure that it won’tcollapse under the weight of an adult?

Other things you will need to think aboutwith your design include:- weight- flexibility- colour- human friendliness- cost- construction- range- safety

Finally, it would be cool if you could make yourdesign planet friendly. How might you usesustainable materials and clean processes inthe design and manufacture of your design?

Think also how your design can be re-cycledwhen it comes to the end of its useful life.

Your idea must come from a natural source,but that does not mean that it should bemade from the same materials. So when youcreate your design think about what materialsyou want to use in its construction.

Remember you can scale up or down yourdesign ideas. For example, your design for astadium roof could be taken from a tiny seashell - or your design for a tiny autonomousvehicle could be inspired by a blue whale.

If you are stuck for ideas - go for a walk andhave a close -up look at the natural thingsaround you. If you have a pet at home, maybethey might inspire you in some way to comeup with a new invention; you’ll be surprisedwhere ideas can come from.

Entry DetailsPostal entries to be sent to:BAE Systems Schools Challenge 2010MGA LTD, 32 Paul Lane, Flockton Moor, Wakefield WF4 4BP

Electronic copies to be sent to:[email protected] Schools Challenge 2010 in the subject box

Details needed for the front coverof any entry include:Name of schoolAddress of schoolName of teacherName of team and teammembers/individual pupil

THE RED ARROWS


Officially known as the Royal Air ForceAerobatic Team, the Red Arrows are basedat RAF Scampton and were formed in 1964.

The pilotsAll Red Arrows pilots are volunteers andbefore they are chosen to join the team theymust have completed one or moreoperational tours on fast jets such as theTornado, Harrier, Jaguar or Typhoon and theymust have at least 1,500 flying hours to beeligible. Pilots stay with the Red Arrows for a3 year tour of duty. In 2009, the first woman -Kirsty Moore, joined the team. The RedArrows have no reserve pilots for safetyreasons and if the leader is unable to fly forany reason then the whole team will not flyat all. Each pilot always flies in the sameposition and the pilots spend six monthsfrom October to April practicing for thecoming display season.

Interesting facts- During a routine, flight pilots can experience forcesof up to 7g (seven times gravitational force).

- A spare jet, Red 10, usually flies cameramen andphotographers for air to air pictures.

- The largest crowd of people at the Red Arrowsdisplay was in Sydney in 1996 when 750,000people saw them perform.

- The highest number of displays flown in any one yearwas in 1995 when they performed 136 times.

- To date they have performed almost 4000 times.

HistoryIn the early days they were equipped with 7 Folland Gnat trainer aircraft but in 1966, theteam was increased to nine members enablingthem to develop their trademark Diamond Nineformation. In 1979, they switched to the BAE Systems Hawk jet, which they still fly today.

The Red Arrows have now given shows all overthe world in over fifty countries and are widelyheld as the world’s most skilled and famousmilitary aeronautics team.

Flt. Lt. Charlie Fennstudied Engineering atBath University. In March2008 she took the post ofRed Arrows JuniorEngineering Officer. InOctober 2009 she startedwork at LoughboroughUniversity as flightCommander for Students.

ENGINEERSTHE RAF AND BAE SYSTEMS


The RAF and BAE Systems have teamed together to bringengineering messages into schools throughout the UK.One of the key messages that they would like to get acrossis that there is a worldwide shortage of engineers -especially female engineers.

BAE Systems employs over30,000 people in the UK and of these, around 17,000 areengineers. The RAF employsnearly 41,000 people and over20,000 of them are involved intechnical or engineering roles.However, only a small percentage of theirengineers are female (10% of BAE Systemsgraduate engineer recruits are female). Thereare so many different and varied roles asengineers, we want to let young people knowabout the many exciting careers in organisationsaround the world.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that engineeringis only for men or that it’s all about dirtyengines. Many engineers work in spotlesslyclean conditions.

The numbers of women moving intoengineering is slowly increasing, but we want more; that’s why we’re visiting yourschool to raise your awareness of theseamazing opportunities.

Here are two engineers in the RAF who have made a name for themselves in thenews recently.

Kirsty is the firstfemale pilot in theRed Arrows. She isan engineeringgraduate fromImperial College.She will fly as Red 3from May 2010.

THE RAF TRADES


When people think of the RAF, they automatically thinkabout pilots. However of the 41,000 jobs in the RAF, lessthan 2,000 are aircrew. Of the 41,000 people, around5,700 (14%) are female. There are over 50 differenttrades in the RAF. How many of them do you recognise?

Movements ControllerMusicianOperating Department PractitionerPersonnel AdministratorPharmacy TechnicianPhotographerPhysical Training InstructorRadiographerRAF PoliceRAF Regiment GunnerStaff NurseSurvival Equipment FitterWeapons Systems OperatorWeapons Technician

Did you know that there are only two jobs that womencan’t do in the RAF? They cannot be Roman Catholicchaplains and they cannot be part of the RAF Regiment,which is the RAF equivalent of the Infantry in the Army.

Aerial ErectorAerospace Systems OperatorAir CartographerAircraft TechnicianAir Steward / StewardChefDental NurseDental TechnicianEnvironmental Health TechnicianFirefighterFlight Operations AssistantGeneral TechnicianICT TechnicianIntelligence AnalystLaboratory TechnicianLogistics Support (Supplier)Mechanical Transport DriverMedical Assistant

ExerciseFind 10 jobs you don’t recognise and checkout the RAF website to find out what they are;www.raf.mod.uk/careers/jobs

BAE SYSTEMSCAREERS


BAE Systems offers a wealth of careeropportunities for young people in the UK.

To discover more about apprenticeship opportunities visitwww.baesystems.com/apprenticesFor graduate opportunities visitwww.baesystems.com/graduatesTo find out more about BAE Systems education initiatives visitwww.baesystems.com/educationWe hope you found this resource interesting!

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- a word derived from “bios” meaning life and “mimesis ... · BIOMIMICRY | DESIGN INSPIRED BY NATURE 1 INTRODUCTION FOR TEACHERS Biomimicry - a word derived from “bios”