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Pius Leuba dit Galland 雷朴实 Assoc. Prof./ Director
BiDL Biomimetic Design Lab D&I, TongJi University
Biomimicry – The Future of Sustainable InnovationShanghai Green Drinks | Game Changers Series
Our current impact
Human exploitation
“Directly or indirectly, the human species already captures nearly 40% of the total biological productivity on land and 70% of the productivity of the marine environment […]. The rate of increase in human use is about 2% per year.”
http://www.theglobaleducationproject.org/human-conditions.php
“Oceans' Fish Could Disappear by 2050”May 17, 2010, by AFP: http://news.discovery.com/earth/oceans/oceans-fish-fishing-industry.htm
The biotic crisis
“…planet Earth has begun the 6th great biological extinction period in its 4.5 billion year history. Previous extinction events reduced biodiversity by up to 70-90%. After past events, recovery took roughly 5 million years. !However, the current depletion […] of tropical forests, wetlands, estuaries and coral reefs (“engines of biodiversity”), may have profound effects on the evolutionary processes that have previously fostered re-diversification. Even our largest protected areas will be far too small for the further speciation of large vertebrates. !!On the time scale of the human species, this environmental disruption (or at least aspects of it) is permanent.
http://www.theglobaleducationproject.org/human-conditions.php
(Note: Our modern human species is about 20,0000 years old)
Nature taps the power of limits
!!!!!!!!!!!!1. Earth’s Water!2. Earth’s Atmosphere!3. Earth’s Landmass
© Adam Neiman
These 3 spheres are Earth’s only life resources. It’s where life succeeded to evolve for 3.8 billion years. It’s also where we put all our waste & toxins.
Pearce, F., 2010, Earth’s Nine Lives, New Scientist, 27 Feb., vol. 205, no 2749, pp 31-35
Nature, September, 2009
Scientific American, April, 2010
Earth’s Life Cycles
Level of (irreparable?) damage to Earth’s life support systems
EPI Environmental Performance Index 2014
http://epi.yale.edu/
118. China
1. Switzerland
Switzerland’s Ecological Footprint
Switzerland's footprint is more than four times larger than its biocapacity: 5 global hectares (gha) per capita vs. a biocapacity of only 1.2 gha per capita.!!An average person living in Switzerland needs 2.4 Planet Earths.
Swiss Federal Statistical Office: Sustainable development. 2010
Our Extinction?
It is estimated that only 0.1% of all species that ever existed are still alive today. 99.9% are extinct. !!Only the most adapted ones survive. !!Due to human impact, current extinction rates are about 1000 times higher than in previous millennia.!!Are we well adapted or mal-adapted to Earth’s circumstances?
Bishop's O`o 1915
Acknowledge that we need to restore what we’ve destroyed,!before we can even talk about sustaining it
Regeneration
Change from Dominator to Benefactor !– for our own sake!
Every action/project needs to leave our environment a better place than what we found it. Not ‘less bad’ but ‘more good’ à POSITIVE IMPACT
But where to learn from?
Nature seems the only true sustainable example
Single-Celled Organisms
• 2.5 billion years old • Still around today • Features feedback loops (learn, adapt…) • No human artifact does that
http://voices.nationalgeographic.com, picture by by Aaron J. Bell, Science Source
Human vs. natural processes
Biomimetics - its practice and theory-Vincent-J. R. Soc. Interface. 2006-471-82
“At size levels of up to 1m, where most technology is sited, the most important variable for the solution of a problem is manipulation of energy usage […], closely followed by use of material.”!!“… in biology the most important variables for the solution of problems at these scales are information and structure”
Humans:
Nature:
Truly sustainable building/artifact
• Earthquake proof!• Water/Wind/Sun proof!• Predator proof!• Optimal size!• Minimal materials (1x)!• Soft/comfortable/cool!• Easily accessible!• Self-timed, automatic,
benign disassembly!• No-Tech!• Zero external energy!• Zero toxins!• …
Weaver bird nest
Green Chemistry
People have produced over 300 polymers!!
“Nature works with five polymers. Only five polymers.”
----Janine Benyus
Elements found in nature-made organisms (28):
Nature works primarily with:!! !!!!Partially with:!!!!Metals that are present in our bodies, but only as trace elements:!!C H N O
Ca Cl Mg P K Na S
Co Cu Fe Mn Zn
Il As B Br Cr F Ga I Mo Se Si V
Magnesium. Humans: 0.05%
WE ARE NATURE !
• We contain single celled organisms and depend on them!
• Innumerable benign chemical processes are constantly occurring within us!
• We are the pinnacle of natural evolution – but we need to act that way!
• Will we be able to bring nature/life/evolution to a completely new level?
water efficiency
resilient structuremarketing and
advertising
self-shading shape
Self-assembly through solar powerzero waste
protection / security
Self-organization and optimization
No-tech recycling
how can this eco-system inspire your next task?
Biomimicry
BIOMIMICRY
仿⽣生学!ancient practice & emerging discipline!古代练习与进化训练!!!!!!!“I think the biggest innovations of the 21st century will be at the intersection of biology and technology.”
----Steve Jobs
Biomimicry Definition
Conscious emulation of natures’ genius ⾃自然基因的⾃自觉仿真!!• Intended!• ≠ copy!• Expertise of 3.8 billion years x 30
million species!!!"Biomimicry is learning from and then emulating natural forms, processes, and ecosystems to create more sustainable designs."
----A Biomimicry Primer, Janine M. Benyus, The Biomimicry Institute and the Biomimicry
Guild, 2011
Natural Strategies
case studies : product design
could this be glue without chemicals?
gecko tape
Zebra: air convection through temperature gradient
Process: non-‐mechanical cooling system
how could a zebra inspire your non-‐mechanical, individual cooling strategy?
how could bees inspire your management style?
Swarm-‐inspired innovative leadership: bioteams
Process: instant & permanent chemical communication
Could this be a subway map?
slime mold generated Tokyo rail map
Systemic: Instant Demand & Supply
Could this be a model for your firm’s manufacturing system?
Localization & connections
Systemic: Proximity of resource & users
Case studies
DYESOL – Man-made photosynthesis
Get energy without fossil fuel!不⽤用矿物燃料得到能源!!• Uses only solar energy!• Uses photosynthesis
(not creating electricity, splits water!)!
• Creates chemical energy, not physical!
• Dyesol: sandwiched glass with dye between, acts like photosynthesis to create small current, in any location, position and lighting levels
Lotusan I Mincor – repel water and dirt
Self-clean without chemicals!不⽤用化学剂实现⾃自我清洁!!Many large-winged insects and plant surfaces remain dirt-free without chemical detergents or expending energy, simply by how their complex surface topography affects physics of water molecules…”!• Water rolls over bumps!• Carries away impurities!• Lotus effect
BASF I Sharklet – prevent bacteria & parasites
Self-clean without chemicals!不⽤用化学剂实现⾃自我清洁!!• Galapagos shark!• Algae and bacteria
deposits!• Skin structure does not
allow to get a grip!• Useful for hospitals, labs,
doorknobs, handrails
Mirasol | Qualcomm – Structural colors
Color without pigment!不⽤用涂料上⾊色!!Morpho butterflies display a life-long, vibrant blue, without paint or color. Their wing scales contain many protein layers that refract light in selected ways. Color we see is due to the play of light and structure instead of pigments.”!Wavelengths of unwanted colors cancel each other out (light interference).
http://www.asknature.org/#
XYLEM STRUCTURE - Raise water without pump
Synthetic Tree, by Cornell & Kate McCulloh, Univ. of Utah!!• High-rise water pumping
needs lots of energy!• Redwoods are 100m tall!• Every leaf has stomata
(pores)!• Evaporation of water
creates low pressure (vacuum)!
• Vision is to create ‘wallpaper’ for bringing water up buildings
Daimler-Benz Bionic car – Material optimization
Maximize strength while minimizing material!物尽其⽤用!Trees only add material where strength is needed. Bones remove material where it's not used, optimizing structure for dynamic workloads.!Boxfish form for aerodynamics (no drag & turbulences).!SKO soft-kill option & CAO computer-aided optimizing. Increased stability & safety.!Reduced material & weight by 40-60%.
CAO & SKO, Karlsruhe Research Centre
Namibian Desert Beetle – Liquefy humidity
Fog-basking beetle inspired evaporators and condensers!!• Exoskeleton contains
hydrophilic bumps and hydrophobic valleys!
• Morning fog from Ocean!• Stand vertical into the
wind on top of hills!• Water drop forms until
gravity brings it to its mouth
Grimshaw I MIT I QinetiQ – Liquefy humidity
The Water Theatre, !Las Palmas, Design 2005!!Airborne moisture from the evaporators is then collected from the condensers, which are cooled by deep seawater.
Carolyn Dry - Self Healing Concrete
Self-heal, self-maintenance!!• Rhino horn!• Non-living tissue!• Protein-release which fills
the crack!• Microscopic resin
capsules in concrete!!
Carolyn Dry, Natural Process Design Inc. (Univ. of Indiana)
Doing Biomimicry
Levels of Biomimicry
ECOSYSTEM!⽣生态系统
PROCESS!过程
FORM!形态
Emulation Level 1: Form
Form can be seen with your eye, something you can measure (kingfisher beak shape for a train tip.)
Kingfisher beak shape inspired shinkansen train tip.
Emulation Level 2: Process
The train tip material may still be toxic. How to create the same beak at ambient conditions, no-tech, with the resources that immediately surround you?
Calera binds half a ton of CO2 when producing a ton of concrete, vs. emitting one ton of CO2.
• About 200% stronger than our toughest high-tech ceramics
Abalone shell!• made out of chalk
(calcium carbonate) and protein
Emulation Level 3: (Eco-)Systems
Kalundborg industrial symbiosis, Denmark!Upcycle ‘Waste’ as nutrients
How is the beak in relationship to the bird, to the tree, to the forest, to the biosphere, to the planet?
Fundamentals
\ ethos!ethics, moral, philosophy; respect for all life forms.!'FIT IN' on earth; survive and be a beneficial species; 'create conditions conducive to life’!\ emulate!nature as model, mentor and measure (≠ copy, but learning & applying)!\ (re)connect!discover life's genius, quieting human intelligence & listening to nature, rediscover relationship with nature
Essential Elements - ‘Seeds’ of Biomimicry
B3.8 & Biomimicry Institute
Life’s Principles ⽣生命的原则
Overarching patterns found amongst all species surviving and thriving on Earth!!\ 6 master principles !\ 26 overall principles!!Operating conditions:!1. Limits and boundaries
(the 3 balls)!2. Gravity, sunlight and
water, size restraints…!3. Cyclic processes!4. Dynamic non-
equilibriumB3.8 & Biomimicry Institute
Life’s Principles ⽣生命的原则
Evolve to survive 为⽣生存⽽而进化!Be resource efficient 有效的再⽣生资源!Adapt to changing conditions 适应变化的环境!Integrate development with growth整合增⻓长与发展!Be locally attuned and responsive 与当地协调并适应!Use life friendly chemistry 利⽤用有利⽣生命的化学品
B3.8 & Biomimicry Institute
Life’s Principles
Life creates conditions conducive to Life…!创造有益于⽣生活的环境!!!!!The principles can act as !• Model:
innovative strategies!• Mentor:
aspirational ideals!• Measure:
sustainable benchmarks
B3.8 & Biomimicry Institute
Life’s Principles
Life creates conditions conducive to Life…!创造有益于⽣生活的环境!!!!!The principles can act as !• Model:
innovative strategies!• Mentor:
aspirational ideals!• Measure:
sustainable benchmarks
B3.8 & Biomimicry Institute
The method
Design Lens – Biomimicry Thinking
While akin to a methodology, Biomimicry Thinking is a framework that is intended to help people practice biomimicry while designing anything. There are four areas in which a biomimicry lens provides the greatest value to the design process:!!\ Scoping!\ Discovering!\ Creating!\ Evaluating
B3.8 & Biomimicry Institute
Design Lens – Biomimicry Thinking
SCOPING!• DEFINE Context !• IDENTIFY Function !• INTEGRATE Life’s
Principles !DISCOVERING!• DISCOVER Bio-Models !• ABSTRACT Design
Strategies!CREATING!• BRAINSTORMING Bio-
Inspired Concepts!• EMULATE Nature’s
Strategies !EVALUATING!• MEASURE
B3.8 & Biomimicry Institute
Design Lens – Biomimicry Thinking
Challenge to Biology!!1. IDENTIFY Function !2. DEFINE Context !3. BIOLOGIZE Challenge !4. DISCOVER Natural
Models !5. ABSTRACT into Design
Principles !6. EMULATE Nature’s
Strategies !7. EVALUATE against Life’s
Principles
B3.8 & Biomimicry Institute
Design Lens – Biomimicry Thinking
Biology to Design!!1. DISCOVER Natural
Models !2. ABSTRACT Design
Principles !3. BRAINSTORM Potential
Applications !4. EMULATE Nature’s
Strategies !5. EVALUATE against Life’s
Principles
B3.8 & Biomimicry Institute
Tools
Biomimicry Taxonomy (actions, functions)
Thank You!
Links:!• www.Biomimicry.net!• www.Biomimicry.org !• www.Asknature.org !• www.EOL.org !!
Biomimicry in China:!• http://bidl.tongji.edu.cn !• http://bidl.tongji.edu.cn/
wiki!!
Books:!• Biomimicry – Innovation Inspired by
Nature, by Janine Benyus!• Biomimicry in Architecture, by
Michael Pawlyn!• The Gecko's Foot: Bio-inspiration -
Engineering New Materials from Nature, by Peter Forbes!
• Biomimetics: Biologically Inspired Technologies, by Yoseph Bar-Cohen!!
• TED talks, formal education (Bpro, Bspec), workshops, …
