Functional Patterns

Abstract

In this chapter, we adapt the TRIZ Su-Field analysis model to search for functional patterns in our observations database. For each biological system, we identified the two substances and the field of energy that enables their interaction. This analysis yielded the "Su-Field function ontology", a minimal set of basic functions that characterize the biological domain. We compared the Su-field function ontology to selected references of previous engineering functional ontologies and concluded that the Su-Field function ontology is an efficient generalization of system function ontologies. The results have implications for the field of functional modeling in general, and especially for the field of interdisciplinary design, such as biomimetic design.