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
Dr. Yoseph Bar-Cohen received his Ph.D. in Physics (1979) from the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel. His research is focused on electro-mechanics including planetary sample handling mechanisms, novel actuators that are driven by such materials as piezoelectric and EAP (also known as artificial muscles) and biomimetics. In his lab, he led the development of many novel methods and mechanisms. In the materials called composites, he discovered the ultrasonic wave phenomena polar backscattering (1979) and leaky lamb waves (1983). He co-edited and co-authored 8 books, co-authored over 360 publications, made numerous presentations at national and international conferences, co-chaired 44 conferences, and has 22 registered patents. He initiated the SPIE conference on artificial muscles, which he has been chairing since 1999. Dr. Bar-Cohen challenged engineers and scientists worldwide to develop a robotic arm driven by artificial muscles to wrestle with humans and win. He organized the first contest in 2005. For his contributions to the field of artificial muscles, Business Week named him in April 2003 one of five technology gurus who are “Pushing Tech's Boundaries.” His accomplishments earned him two NASA Honor Award Medals, two SPIE’s Lifetime Achievement Awards, the SPIE’s President’s Award and many other honors and awards. Also, he is a Fellow of two technical societies: ASNT and SPIE.
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