Bio Inspired Design Developing sustainable products that perform What is it? Bio Inspired Design, is about studying nature to discov- er what products should be like, if they would contribute to a sustainable society. Three levels Nature can be studied at three levels: 1. Form - natural structures, shapes and functionalities 2. Process - mechanisms behind the development of natural elements 3. System - cooperations and connections between at- ural elements, that form entire self-supporting systems Why use it? Nature has 3.8 billion years of experience with perform- ing the most complex functions, while being sustain- able. The goal Develop sustainable products that perform, and fit in their environment just like organisms would in their eco- systems.
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Bio Inspired DesignDeveloping sustainable products that perform
What is it?Bio Inspired Design, is about studying nature to discov-er what products should be like, if they would contribute to a sustainable society.
Three levelsNature can be studied at three levels:1. Form - natural structures, shapes and functionalities2. Process - mechanisms behind the development of natural elements3. System - cooperations and connections between at-ural elements, that form entire self-supporting systems
Why use it?Nature has 3.8 billion years of experience with perform-ing the most complex functions, while being sustain-able.
The goalDevelop sustainable products that perform, and fit in their environment just like organisms would in their eco-systems.
How to apply it?
With three tools, Bio Inpired Design can be implement-ed in any product development process. Using these, your product will become a valuable part of its environ-ment.
Environment scanWhat are the products basic functionalities? What ener-gies, forces, materials, and organisms are present in its environment? What are the needs of the main user? Draw a map, and connect the product’s functions with its environment. It will show you why the product does what it does, and what possibilities are present, to add value to its environment.
Asknature.orgYou know the funtions of the product, but how to real-ize them? The database at asknature.org shows over a thousand strategies animals use to realize the most complex functions. Browse around, and get inspired!
LIfe’s PrinciplesTo fit in an ecosystem, you have to follow general rules and strategies. Decades of experience of biologists and ecologists have been summarized in a comprehensive collection of Life’s principles. Use them to create ideas, and to evaluate if your product is fit for its place in the ecosystem.
Get startedGood sources are available on Bio Inspired Design. Start looking at nature to design better products:
Watch“Dat willen wij ook”Dutch documentary series on bioinspired innovations. Available for free at noorderlicht.vpro.nl/dossiers
Explorewww.asknature.orgAn online database composed by biologists and engineers with nature’s best strategies to perform.
ReadJanine Benyus: Biomimicry, innovation inspired by nature, 1997, Harper PerennialStandard work on biomimicry. Many examples of research, and an evaluation of the value of Biomimicry.
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