Skip to main content

Creating Bio-inspired Solution Ideas Using Biological Research Articles

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Multidisciplinary Contributions to the Science of Creative Thinking

Abstract

What gives you the idea of scrutinizing leaf beetle legs when conceptualizing car tires? Questions like this are approached by a number of method s and tools developed to support the creation of solution ideas for technical problems based on biological inspiration . BIOscrabble, the approach applied here, supports drawing such inspiration from biological research articles. Due to their huge variety and novelty, these articles are expected to have a strong potential for inspiring bio-inspired technical solutions and are assumed to enhance creative thinking during solution search in bio-inspired design by the authors. This work shows that mechanical engineers lacking a biological background are able to creatively use biological research articles for the development of bio-inspired solution ideas . Moreover, during solution search in bio-inspired design, these articles are beneficial in terms of offering additional stimulation for creativity when compared to one of the most relevant bio-inspired design databases.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Beckmann, K.-H., & Kobialka, H. (2007). Die Maskenschnecke Isognomostoma isognomostomos—Weichtier des Jahres 2007. Club Conchylia Informationen, 38(3/4), 42–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carey, F. G., & Teal, J. M. (1966). Heat conservation in tuna fish muscle. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 56(5), 1464–1469.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chakrabarti, A., Sarkar, P., Leelavathamma, B., & Nataraju, B. S. (2005). A functional representation for aiding biomimetic and artificial inspiration of new ideas. Artificial Intelligence for Engineering Design, Analysis and Manufacturing, 19(2), 113–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheong, H., & Shu, L. H. (2010). Supporting Creative Concept Generation by Engineering Students with Biomimetic Design. In Proceedings of the 1st CEEA Conference, Ontario, 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheong, H., & Shu, L. H. (2012). Automatic extraction of causally related functions from natural-language text for biomimetic design. In Proceedings of the ASME 2012 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, Chicago, 2012.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dastjerdi, A. K., Pagano, M., Kaartinen, M. T., McKee, M. D., & Barthelat, F. (2012). Cohesive behavior of soft biological adhesives: Experiments and modeling. Acta Biomaterialia, 8(9), 3349–3359. doi:10.1016/j.actbio.2012.05.005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eder, W. E., & Hosnedl, S. (2008). Design-engineering—a manual for enhanced creativity. Boca Raton: Taylor & Francis Group LLC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flämig, J. (2013). Weiterentwicklung einer Unterstützung der Lösungssuche in der Bionik am Beispiel eines Trinkwasseraufbereiters. unpublished term paper, Institute of Product Development, Technische Universität München.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gao, H., Ji, B., Buehler, M. J., & Yao, H. (2004). Flaw tolerant bulk and surface nanostructures of biological systems. Mechanics and Chemistry of Biosystem: MCB, 1(1), 37–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • García Hernández, J. E., González Martín, M. M., Notario del Pino, J. S., & Arbelo Rodríguez, C. D. (1992). Treatment of wastewater effluents with Phillipsite-rich tuffs. Environmental Pollution, 76(3), 219–223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gorb, S. N., Beutel, R. G., Gorb, E. V., Jiao, Y., Kastner, V., Niederegger, S., et al. (2002). Structural design and biomechanics of friction-based releasable attachment devices in insects. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 42(6), 1127–1139. doi:10.1093/icb/42.6.1127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gorb, E., Kastner, V., Peressadko, A., Arzt, E., Gaume, L., Rowe, N., & Gorb, S. (2004). Structure and properties of the glandular surface in the digestive zone of the pitcher in the carnivorous plant Nepenthes ventrata and its role in insect trapping and retention. Journal of Experimental Biology, 207(Pt 17), 2947–2963.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gramann, J. (2004). Problemmodelle und Bionik als Methode. Technische Universität München.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guschlbauer, C. L., Scharstein, H., & Büschges, A. (2007). The extensor tibiae muscle of the stick insect: Biomechanical properties of an insect walking leg muscle. Journal of Experimental Biology, 210(Pt 6), 1092–1108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hawthorn, A. C., & Opell, B. D. (2003). Van der Waals and hygroscopic forces of adhesion generated by spider capture threads. Journal of Experimental Biology, 206(Pt 22), 3905–3911.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henze, A. (2013). Entwicklung eines biomimetischen Konzeptes zur Verhinderung von Aquaplaning unter Nutzung und Weiterentwicklung von BIOscrabble. unpublished bachelor thesis, Institute of Product Development, Technische Universität München.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill, B. (1997). Innovationsquelle Natur. Technische Universität München.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hosoda, N., & Gorb, S. N. (2012). Underwater locomotion in a terrestrial beetle: Combination of surface de-wetting and capillary forces. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 279(1745), 4236–4242. doi:10.1098/rspb.2012.1297.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang, X., Liu, G., & Wang, X. (2012). New secrets of spider silk: Exceptionally high thermal conductivity and its abnormal change under stretching. Advanced Materials, 24(11), 1482–1486. doi:10.1002/adma.201104668.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hull, B. E., & Staehelin, L. A. (1976). Functional significance of the variations in the geometrical organization of tight junction networks. Journal of Cell Biology, 68(3), 688–704.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jemli, M., Alouini, Z., Sabbahi, S., & Gueddari, M. (2002). Destruction of fecal bacteria in wastewater by three photosensitizers. Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 4(4), 511–516.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaiser, M. K., Hashemi Farzaneh, H., & Lindemann, U. (2012). An approach to support searching for biomimetic solutions based on system characteristics and its environmental interactions. In D. Marjanovic, M. Storga, N. Pavkovic, N. Bojcetic (Eds.). Proceedings of the International Design Conference, Dubrovnik, 2012.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaiser, M. K., Hashemi Farzaneh, H., & Lindemann, U. (2013). BIOscrabble—extraction of biological analogies out of large text sources. In Paper presented at the 5th International Joint Conference on Knowledge Discovery, Knowledge Engineering and Knowledge Management, Vilamoura, 19–22 September 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaiser, M. K., Hashemi Farzaneh, H., & Lindemann, U. (2014). BIOscrabble—the role of different types of search terms when searching for biological inspiration in biological research articles. In Marjanovic, D., Storga, M., Pavkovic, N., Bojcetic, N. (Eds.). Proceedings of the International Design Conference, Dubrovnik, 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lei, G. Y., & Ma, J. (2009). Phosphorus removal and mechanisms for advanced treatment of sewage by Spirogyra. Huan Jing Ke Xue, 30(4), 1066–1072.

    Google Scholar 

  • Löffler, S. (2008). Anwenden bionischer Konstruktionsprinzipe in der Produktentwicklung. Technische Universität Carolo-Wilhelmina zu Braunschweig, 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  • Macnish, D. (2013). Development of an Adaptive Surface with Variable Heat Conductivity. unpublished bachelor thesis, Institute of Product Development, Technische Universität München.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagel, J. K. S., & Stone, R. B. (2011). A systematic approach to biologically-inspired engineering design. In Proceedings of the ASME 2011 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, Washington, 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagel, J. K. S., Stone, R. B., & McAdams, D. A. (2010). An engineering-to-biology thesaurus for engineering design. In Proceedings of the ASME 2010 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, Montreal, 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  • Niizuma, Y., Gabrielsen, G. W., Sato, K., Watanuki, Y., & Naito, Y. (2007). Brünnich’s guillemots (Uria lomvia) maintain high temperature in the body core during dives. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular and Integrative Physiology, 147(2), 438–444.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pahl, G., Beitz, W., Feldhusen, J., & Grote, K. H. (2007). Engineering design: A systematic approach. London: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Petie, R., & Muller, M. (2007). Curvature facilitates prey fixation in predatory insect claws. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 244(4), 565–575.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pezowicz, C. A., Robertson, P. A., & Broom, N. D. (2005). Intralamellar relationships within the collagenous architecture of the annulus fibrosus imaged in its fully hydrated state. Journal of Anatomy, 207(4), 299–312.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reichard, J. D., Fellows, S. R., Frank, A. J., & Kunz, T. H. (2010). Thermoregulation during flight: Body temperature and sensible heat transfer in free-ranging Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis). Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 83(6), 885–897. doi:10.1086/657253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rommel, S. A., & Caplan, H. (2003). Vascular adaptations for heat conservation in the tail of Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris). Journal of Anatomy, 202(4), 343–353.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rutkovskiy, A., Mariero, L. H., Nygård, S., Stensløkken, K. O., Valen, G., & Vaage, J. (2012). Transient hyperosmolality modulates expression of cardiac aquaporins. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 425(1), 70–75. doi:10.1016/j.bbrc.2012.07.052.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shu, L. H. (2010). A natural-language approach to biomimetic design. Artificial Intelligence for Engineering Design, Analysis and Manufacturing, 24(4), 507–519.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spiegel, J. (2013). Entwicklung einer Methodik zur Strukturierung großer Datenmengen zur Anwendung in der biomimetischen Lösungssuche. unpublished bachelor thesis, Institute of Product Development, Technische Universität München.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stitt, J. T. (1976). The regulation of respiratory evaporative heat loss in the rabbit. Journal of Physiology, 258(1), 157–171.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stroble, J. K., Stone, R. B., McAdams, D. A., & Watkins, S. E. (2009). An engineering-to-biology thesaurus to promote better collaboration, creativity and discovery. In R. Rajkumar, & S. Essam (Eds). Proceedings of the 19th CIRP Design ConferenceCompetitive Design, Cranfield, 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  • Topp, M. (2013). Weiterentwicklung einer biomimetischen Suchmethode am Beispiel der Entwicklung eines biomimetischen Verschlussmechanismus für Gepäckstücke. unpublished term paper, Institute of Product Development, Technische Universität München.

    Google Scholar 

  • Torre-Bueno, J. R. (1976). Temperature regulation and heat dissipation during flight in birds. Journal of Experimental Biology, 65(2), 471–482.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vandevenne, D., Verhaegen, P. A., & Dewulf, S. (2011). A scalable approach for the integration of large knowledge repositories in the biologically-inspired design process. In J. F. DesignBoujut, T. Tomiyama, Y. Reich, & A. Duffy (Eds.), International Conference on Engineering. London: The Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vandevenne, D., Caicedo, J., Verhaegen, P.-A., Dewulf, S., & Duflou, J. R. (2012). Webcrawling for a biological strategy corpus to support biologically-inspired design. In A. Chakrabarti (Ed.), CIRP Design 2012 (pp. 83–92). London: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vattam, S. S., & Goel, A. K. (2011). Foraging for inspiration: Understanding and supporting the online information seeking practices of biologically inspired designers. In Proceedings of the ASME 2011 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, Washington, 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wade, K. R., Robertson, P. A., & Broom, N. D. (2011). A fresh look at the nucleus-endplate region: New evidence for significant structural integration. European Spine Journal, 20(8), 1225–1232. doi:10.1007/s00586-011-1704-y.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wainwright, D. K., Kleinteich, T., Kleinteich, A., Gorb, S. N., & Summers, A. P. (2013). Stick tight: Suction adhesion on irregular surfaces in the northern clingfish. Biology Letters, 9(3), 20130234. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2013.0234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watson, J. A., Cribb, B. W., Hu, H. M., & Watson, G. S. (2011). A dual layer hair array of the brown lacewing: Repelling water at different length scales. Biophysical Journal, 100(4), 1149–1155. doi:10.1016/j.bpj.2010.12.3736.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang, B., Lan, C. Y., Yang, C. S., Liao, W. B., Chang, H., & Shu, W. S. (2006). Long-term efficiency and stability of wetlands for treating wastewater of a lead/zinc mine and the concurrent ecosystem development. Environmental Pollution, 143(3), 499–512.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng, X., Zhang, L., Li, J., Luo, S., & Cheng, J. P. (2011). Magnetic nanoparticle supported polyoxometalates (POMs) via non-covalent interaction: Reusable acid catalysts and catalyst supports for chiral amines. Chemical Communications (Cambridge, England), 47(45), 12325–12327. doi:10.1039/c1cc14178c.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maria Katharina Helms .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Helms, M.K., Farzaneh, H.H., Lindemann, U. (2016). Creating Bio-inspired Solution Ideas Using Biological Research Articles. In: Corazza, G., Agnoli, S. (eds) Multidisciplinary Contributions to the Science of Creative Thinking. Creativity in the Twenty First Century. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-618-8_13

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-618-8_13

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-287-617-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-287-618-8

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics