Biomimetics is a term which represents the study and imitation of nature’s methods, mechanisms, and processes. Any complex human problems can be solved by looking for its answers in nature. Creating innovations inspired from nature can help us improve our current technology and help us create many new possibilities. With the designs inspired from organisms, biomimetics can help us to achieve better products and improve human life. Biomimetics has found its application in several domains and some of the exquisite examples of nature’s wonder are:-
Bullet Train:-
One of the classic examples of biomimetics is how a bird helped to make the bullet train quiet. One of the major problems the engineers working on bullet train were facing was the fact that the train made a lot of noise whenever it exited a tunnel.The chief engineer found the solution to this problem by looking for it in nature. He noticed that the Kingfisher bird doesn’t even create one splash while going from one medium to another. He utilized this technique, quieted the train as well as increased its efficiency.
Artificial Ventilation:-
Termites are a very intelligent organisms and to know this, one just needs to have a look at their mounds that these insects create to keep a constant temperature throughout the day. Fungus is their primary food source which is grown inside the mounds. As the Fungus needs to have a constant temperature of around 30 degrees Celsius for its production it is a very tough for the Termites to do it in open. Constant evolution throughout the centuries has led them to create a system of vents inside the moulds that is able to maintain the temperature around 30 degree Celsius for the entirety of Fungus production. The fact that Termites are able to do this in a country like Zimbabwe where temperature ranges from 1.6 degree Celsius at night to 40 degree Celsius in daytime is really astounding. The system inside the mould works with a series of vents that are opened and closed constantly to maintain temperature. The cold air is let inside from the bottom of the mould and the hot air is let out from the top, this constant change in opening and closing of the vents assures that the temperature inside is constant throughout the course of the day. Eastgate Centre mall in Harare, Zimbabwe is a building designed on the same principle which uses around 10% of the energy of a conventional building but manages to keep the temperature around 25 degree Celsius all thanks to the way shown by the Termites. It also saves the owners of the building around 3.5 million dollars. This is a prime example of biomimicry.
Cement from CO2:-
One of the latest innovation which can solve one of the biggest problem faced by humans today, i.e. utilize CO2, one of the most prominent greenhouse gasses to produce cement which is the most used material in the world.
Painless Syringe:-
The smooth steel hypodermic we use makes contact with a number of nerves and is, therefore, uncomfortable. But new studies have found a way to create an artificial syringe inspired from mosquito bites.
Self-Healing Plastics:-
Similar to our body’s ability to heal cuts, wounds, scrapes, etc. scientist are trying to make a composite material which will be able to heal itself.
Rapid industrialization and urbanization have created a lot of pressure on the environment and its pollution is increasing day by day. It has become very important to find an alternative source of production and design which is eco-friendly as well as can solve various human problems. With all this in mind, who else can we turn to other than nature? Nature in its most unique way has a solution for every problem we can think of. Living organisms perform every operation in a planned and sustainable way, which has been evolving every day. By creating designs inspired by them, we can actually achieve the things like sustainable development, preservation of resources, and conservation of the environment and have an ecological balance. Several fields and materials have been using biomimetics directly without much formal research in many of the areas. The only thing is that whether we can see the solution or not. Biomimetics started with a mere fascination towards nature’s wonders but now with the ongoing research and studies, it can be combined with engineering and modern science to help us create a balanced, safe and economical place to live in. Biomimetics has the potential to create a harmony between the human world and nature along with giving better results than any artificially obtained material. What we need to learn from the plants and animals is that how they have been leaving in nature from such a long time without having any adverse effects on it.
