1. The document describes a biology investigatory project on biomimicry completed by Priya Kumari for her class 12 examination. It includes an introduction to biomimicry, examples of biomimicry found in nature, and potential future applications. 2. Some examples discussed include Velcro mimicking plant burrs, the Ultracane walking stick mimicking bat echolocation, shark skin inspiring non-stick navy ship coatings, diatom silica for optical devices and solar cells, spider silk inspiring medical tape, beetles inspiring water collection devices, and gecko grip inspiring new adhesives. 3. The project was conducted under the guidance of Mrs. Anitha Sarma and signed off by the
3. Acknowledgement
I wish to express my deep gratitude and sincere
thanks to the Principal, Mrs. Sushma Misar , for
her encouragement and for all the facilities that
she provided for this project work.
I extend my hearty thanks to Mrs. Anitha Sarma ,
Biology teacher ,who guided me to the successful
completion of this project. I take this opportunity
to express my deep sense of gratitude for her
invaluable guidance constant encouragementinvaluable guidance, constant encouragement ,
immense motivation , which has sustained my
efforts at all the stages of this project work…
I also thank Mr. Uttarchand, Lab Assistant who
helped me get along with this project.
I can’t forgot to offer my sincere thanks to parents
and also to my classmates who helped me to
carry out this project work successful and for
their valuable advice and support , which I
received from them time to time….
Priya Kumari
4. Contents
BiomimicryBiomimicry
1.1. IntroductionIntroduction
22 E l OfE l Of Bi i iBi i i2.2. Examples OfExamples Of BiomimicryBiomimicry
•• VelcroVelcro
•• UltracaneUltracane
Sl k Sh k SkiSl k Sh k Ski•• Sleek Shark SkinSleek Shark Skin
•• Diatoms As Cheap Solar CellDiatoms As Cheap Solar Cell
•• Spider Silk as strong tapeSpider Silk as strong tape
•• Beetles show the way toBeetles show the way to
water conservationwater conservation
•• Gecko's Grip and adhesivesGecko's Grip and adhesives
3.Some future applications3.Some future applications
having potentialhaving potential
5. Biomimicry :
INTRODUCTION
DEFINATION
Biomimetics or biomimicry is the imitation of the models,
systems, and elements of nature for the purpose of solving
complex human problems.
Living organisms have evolved well‐adapted structures and
BRIEF HISTORY
Living organisms have evolved well adapted structures and
materials over geological time through natural selection.
Biomimetics has given rise to new technologies inspired by
biological solutions at macro and nanoscales.
BRIEF HISTORY
When Janine Benyus popularized the term “biomimicry” in
her seminal book Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by
Nature (1997), she admits she had no idea it would
galvanize an entire movement.
A i t t i bi i i l t d it b l th tAs interest in biomimicry escalated, it soon became clear that
an institute dedicated to biomimicry education was
needed. In 2005, Bryony Schwan and Janine Benyus co‐
founded the Biomimicry Institute.
at macro and nanoscales.
7. • It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke:• It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke:
A brain expert, a bat biologist, and an
engineer walk into a cafeteria. But that's
exactly what happened when a casual
meeting of the minds at England's Leeds
University led to the invention of theUniversity led to the invention of the
Ultracane, a walking stick for the blind
that vibrates as it approaches objects.
• The cane works using echolocation, the
same sensory system that bats use to
map out their environments. It lets off p
60,000 ultrasonic pulses per second and
then listens for them to bounce back.
When some return faster than others,
that indicates a nearby object, which
causes the cane's handle to vibrate.
U i thi t h i th t lUsing this technique, the cane not only
"sees" objects on the ground, such as
trash cans and fire hydrants, but also
senses things above, such as low‐
hanging signs and tree branches. And
because the cane's output and feedbackbecause the cane s output and feedback
are silent, people using it can still hear
everything going on around them.
Although the Ultracane hasn't
experienced ultra‐stellar sales, several
companies in the United States and New p
Zealand are currently trying to figure out
how to market similar gadgets using the
same bat‐inspired technology.
8. 1. Sharks, the stealthy predators of the deep, may
have a thing or two to teach the Indian Navy.
Shark skin contains sleek scales that resemble
tiny teeth and are made of a tough materialtiny teeth and are made of a tough material
called dentin. The scales create tiny vortices in
the water that reduce drag, studies have shown.
Shark skin also prevents barnacles and other
organisms from glomming on, something called
Bi f li (th ti k t t thBio-fouling (those sticky creatures cost the
Navy at least $50 million each year, one Navy
scientist estimated.) The scales are constantly in
flux, limiting the surface area to which marine
hitchhikers can attach.
2. Researchers in Germany have developed a
synthetic shark skin made of elastic silicone that
reduces bio‐fouling by 67 percent in tests. The
U.S. Navy has funded work to develop similar
critter‐repellent coatings.
11. 5.Spider Silk asSpider Silk as
strong tapestrong tape
id S id i• Even outside Spider‐Man comic
books, Spider Silk is known to be
one of nature's strongest materials —
five times stronger than steel by
weight. Silk is both stretchy and
lightweight It must be sticky in somelightweight. It must be sticky in some
places to catch prey, and not sticky in
others so that the spider can scuttle
across it.
• Scientists have created a medical
product that mimics this property: aproduct that mimics this property: a
flexible tape that can be peeled off a
wound without damaging the tissue
underneath. The sticky material could
be useful for attaching tubes or
sensors to the delicate skin of
newborns and the elderly. Traditional
medical tape is made by applying a
sticky substance onto a thin backing
material.
• To make the silk‐inspired tape,
researchers applied a silicon‐based
film to the backing material first, and
used a laser to etch a grid pattern
onto the silicon. The grid makes some
parts of the material sticky and other
parts non sticky just like a spider'sparts non‐sticky, just like a spider s
web.
13. 6. Beetles show the wayBeetles show the way
to water conservationto water conservation
• The tiny Namib Desert beetle
has a clever way of surviving inhas a clever way of surviving in
its parched habitat: It collects
water by condensing fog into
droplets on the ridges of its
back.back.
• Researchers from the
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology have developed a
bumpy material made out ofbumpy material made out of
glass and plastic that mimics
the beetle's back. That
material could be used to
collect water or other liquids,
make a "lab on a chip" or build
cooling devices, scientists said.
U.S. military officials think the
material could even be useful
for cleaning up toxic spillsfor cleaning up toxic spills.
15. Organism
mimicked
Ability
mimicked
Application
1 Plant burs Hooks that Velcro1.Plant burs Hooks that
catch on loop
of hair
Velcro
2.Bat Echolocation Ultracane for2.Bat Echolocation Ultracane for
visually
impaired
3.Shark Sleek scales Making outer
skin that prevent
barnacle
growth
biofouling
surface of
ship,
submarine
dirt resistantbiofouling dirt resistant
4.Diatoms Optical And
Photonic
Properties
Solar Cell
p
5.Spider spid
er silk
Strong ,
elastic silk
making
Medical tape
which
protects the
underlying
tissue
onpeeling off.
6 B l T ll C ll i f
16. Bibliography :
1. biomimicry.net
2. www.livescience.com
3.Photos from Google images.
4. www.wikipedia.comp
5. Newspaper clipping from THE
TIMES OF INDIA
3.Some future applications3.Some future applications
having potentialhaving potential