BIOLOGY FOR

ENGINEERS

Introduction
 ‘BIO’ = LIFE
‘LOGY’ = STUDY

Study of Life is known as ‘Biology’.

 So, why do we need to know biology?

• To find solutions to challenges.

Historical: Bird flights – Airplanes

Sustainability

Biology has already found sustainable methods.

Life forms have evolved, and co-existed in harmony with
their surroundings for millions of years.

If we need solutions, we just need to look at how biology

does it.
• Biology is us. Can our wellness, both physical and
mental, be better?

Through better understanding- cell, its processes,

systems as whole

Example:

Artificial retina
Brain- computer interface
The interdisciplinary field where technology, science, art, design and
architecture influence each other and use biology for innovative solutions
and products is called biomimicry.
Biomimetics transfers methods
found in nature into technical
systems.
 Inventions Inspired by Nature
• Bullet Train

Shinkansen
Bullet Train
when the trains emerge from tunnels. As they drive through, air pressure builds up
in waves and, when the nose emerges, can produce a shotgun-like thunderclap
heard for a quarter mile.
Eiji Nakatsu, a bird-watching engineer at the Japanese rail company JR-West, in
the 1990s took inspiration from the kingfisher, a fish-eating fowl that creates
barely a ripple when it darts into water in search of a meal. The train’s
redesigned nose — a 50-foot-long steel kingfisher beak — didn't just solve the
noise problem; it reduced power use and enabled faster speeds.
• Velcro

After a hunting trip in the Alps in 1941, Swiss engineer George de Mestral’s dog
was covered in burdock burrs. Mestral put one under his microscope and
discovered a simple design of hooks that nimbly attached to fur and socks.
After years of experimentation, he invented Velcro — and earned U.S. Patent
2,717,437 in October 1952. Benyus said it is probably the best-known and most
commercially successful instance of biomimicry.
 • Firefly LED

When insects of the genus Photuris light fires in their bellies, the radiance is
amplified by their anatomy — sharp, jagged scales, according to research
published in January by scientists from Belgium, France, and Canada.
Based on this observation, the scientists then built and laid a similar structure on
a light-emitting diode (LED), which increased its brightness by 55 percent.
 Birds = Jets

Birds have been able to boost the distance they're able to fly by more than 70 percent though the use of
the V-shape. Scientists have discovered that when a flocks takes on the familiar V-formation, when one
bird flaps its wings it creates a small updraft that lifts the bird behind. As each bird passes, they add their
own energy to the stroke helping all the birds maintain flight. By rotating their order through the stack,
they spread out the exertion.

A group of researchers at Stanford University thinks passenger airlines could realize fuel savings by
taking the same tactic. The team, lead by Professor Ilan Kroo, envisions scenarios where jets from West
Coast airports meet up and fly in formation en route to their East Coast destinations. By traveling in a
V-shape with planes taking turns in front as birds do, Kroo and his researchers think aircraft could use 15
percent less fuel compared to flying solo.
 Termite den = Office building

Termite dens look otherworldly, but they are surprisingly comfortable places to live. While the
temperature outside swings wildly throughout the day from lows in the 30s to highs over 100, the
inside of a termite den holds steady at a comfortable (to a termite) 87 degrees.

Mick Pearce, architect of Eastgate Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe, studied the cooling chimneys and
tunnels of termite dens. He applied those lessons to the 333,000 square-foot Eastgate Centre, which
uses 90 percent less energy to heat and cool than traditional buildings. The building has large
chimneys that naturally draw in cool air at night to lower the temperature of the floor slabs, just like
termite dens. During the day, these slabs retain the coolness, greatly reducing the need for
supplemental air conditioning.
 Lotus = Paint

The lotus flower is sort of like the sharkskin of dry land. The flower's micro-rough surface naturally
repels dust and dirt particles, keeping its petals sparkling clean. If you've ever looked at a lotus leaf
under a microscope, you've seen a sea of tiny nail-like protuberances that can fend off specks of dust.
When water rolls over a lotus leaf, it collects anything on the surface, leaving a clean and healthy leaf
behind.

A German company, Ispo, spent four years researching this phenomenon and has developed a paint
with similar properties. The micro-rough surface of the paint pushes away dust and dirt, diminishing
the need to wash the outside of a house.
 Bug = Water Collection

The Stenocara beetle is a master water collector. The small black bug lives in a harsh, dry desert
environment and is able to survive thanks to the unique design of its shell. The Stenocara's back is
covered in small, smooth bumps that serve as collection points for condensed water or fog. The
entire shell is covered in a slick, Teflon-like wax and is channeled so that condensed water from
morning fog is funneled into the beetle's mouth. It's brilliant in its simplicity.

Researchers at MIT have been able to build on a concept inspired by the Stenocara's shell and first
described by Oxford University's Andrew Parker. They have crafted a material that collects water
from the air more efficiently than existing designs. About 22 countries around the world use nets to
collect water from the air, so such a boost in efficiency could have a big impact.
EYE = CAMERA