CohenTalk

Biomimetics:

Mimicking nature to enable new technologies

Yoseph Bar-Cohen, Ph.D.,

ABSTRACT

Biomimetics is the field of science and engineering that seeks to understand and use nature as a model for copying, adapting and inspiring concepts and designs. Evolution led to effective solutions to nature’s challenges that were improved over millions of years. Humans have always made efforts to use nature as a model for innovation and problems solving. In recent years, these efforts have become more intensive where systematic studies are being made to develop better understanding nature and applying more sophisticated capabilities. As part of the field of biomimetics, scientists are seeking rules, concepts, mechanisms and principles of biology to inspire new engineering possibilities including methods of manufacturing, mechanisms, materials, processes, and algorithms. Some of the benefits that resulted are improved structures, actuators, sensors, interfaces, control, software, drugs, defense, intelligence and many others. The emergence of new technologies has enabled even further acceleration of the capability to mimic and be inspired by nature’s capabilities. The recent advances in the field of electroactive polymers (EAP), also known as artificial muscles, have led to ability to engineer mechanisms and devices that used to be considered science fiction ideas. Some of the applications that are being developed include Fish-like Blimp, various Robots and many others. In this lecture, the latest development in biomimetics with focus on EAP materials and their applications will be reviewed and discussed.

BIOGRAPHY