NASA VINE, PeTAL, U Akron - Unsworth

Communities of Practice in Bio-Inspired Design: VINE, PeTaL, UA Biomimicry

Colleen Unsworth

Abstract

This presentation will overview the work of four different groups involved in natural systems/bio-

inspired design projects. It will explain the University of Akron’s Biomimicry Fellowship program, NASA’s

Virtual Interchange for Nature-Inspired Exploration (V.I.N.E.) clusters, the Periodic Table of Life (PeTaL)

project, and the collaborative work of UA’s Ontology group with Dr. Julian Vincent and Dr. Jacquelyn

Nagel. It will also overview Biocene, the Ohio-based annual symposium centered around nature-inspired

research, innovation, and education, organized by the Ohio Aerospace Institute, Great Lakes Biomimicry,

and NASA. The discussion will highlight recent exciting work by these groups, as well as opportunities for

involvement within these networks.

Bio

Colleen Unsworth is a Biomimicry Fellow at NASA’s Glenn Research Center and the Cleveland Museum

of Natural History (CMNH) through the University of Akron’s Biomimicry Fellowship program. At NASA,

she is on the PeTaL (Periodic Table of Life) team under Dr. Vik Shyam, coordinates the V.I.N.E. (Virtual

Interchange for Nature-Inspired Exploration) network, and helps organize Biocene, an annual

symposium on nature-inspired exploration. She is also involved in large-scale data digitization efforts

with NASA, CMNH, and other biomimicry partners. At the University of Akron, Colleen studies the

biomechanics of snake and myriapod locomotion for application to mobility assistance technologies, as

well as the potential for biomimicry to contribute to inclusive design practices.