Nature Inspired Design

Provides a professional, contemporary, and concise review of the current knowledge and advances in biomimetics This book covers the field of biomimicry, an area of science where researchers look to mimic aspects of plants or animals in order to solve problems in aerospace, shipping, building, electronics, and optics, among others. It presents the latest developments in biomimicry and gives readers sufficient grounding to help them understand the current, and sometimes technically complex, research literature. Different themes are covered throughout and text boxes deal with the relevant physics for readers who may lack this knowledge. Biomimetics: Nature-Inspired Design and Innovation examines issues in fluid dynamics such as avoiding sonic booms, reducing train noise, increasing wind turbine efficiency, and more. Next, it looks at optical applications, e.g. how nature generates color without dyes and pigment, and how animals stay cool in desert environments. A chapter on the built environment discusses cooling systems for buildings based on termite mounds; creating self-cleaning paint based on lotus leaves; unobtrusive solar panels based on ivy; and buildings that respond to the environment. Two more sections focus on biomimicry for the creation of smart materials and smart devices. The book finishes with a look at the field’s future over the next decade. Presents each topic in sufficient detail in order to enable the reader to comprehend the original scientific papers Emphasizes those examples of biomimicry that have made it into products Features text boxes that provide information on the relevant physics or engineering principles for biologists who do not have a physics background Covers the scientific literature up to July 2019 Biomimetics: Nature-Inspired Design and Innovation is an excellent book for senior undergraduates and post-graduate students in the life sciences, material sciences, and bioengineering. It will also appeal to lay readers with an interest in nature as well as scientists in general.

Repackaged with a new afterword, this "valuable and entertaining" (New York Times Book Review) book explores how scientists are adapting nature's best ideas to solve tough 21st century problems. Biomimicry is rapidly transforming life on earth. Biomimics study nature's most successful ideas over the past 3.5 million years, and adapt them for human use. The results are revolutionizing how materials are invented and how we compute, heal ourselves, repair the environment, and feed the world. Janine Benyus takes readers into the lab and in the field with maverick thinkers as they: discover miracle drugs by watching what chimps eat when they're sick; learn how to create by watching spiders weave fibers; harness energy by examining how a leaf converts sunlight into fuel in trillionths of a second; and many more examples. Composed of stories of vision and invention, personalities and pipe dreams, Biomimicry is must reading for anyone interested in the shape of our future.

The first design book that translates elements of nature--including flora, water, and wood--into elements of decor for beautiful, lived-in, bohemian interiors, from acclaimed designer and tastemaker Erica Tanov. Inspired by nature's colors, textures, and patterns, design icon Erica Tanov uses her passion for textiles to create beautiful, timeless interiors that connect us to the natural world. Now, in her first book, Design by Nature, Tanov teaches you how to train your eye to the beauty of the natural world, and then bring the outdoors in—incorporating patterns and motifs from nature, as well as actual organic elements, into simple ideas for everyday decorating and design. Design by Nature contains new and imaginative decorating ideas for an organic and bohemian style that mixes and layers rugs, pillows, throws, and drapery, and incorporates unique patterns and fabrics such as shibori, ikat, and jamdani, all stunningly photographed by renowned photographer Ngoc Minh Ngo. With topics ranging from embracing imperfection in your home, to seeking out flea markets, to displaying your collections, Design by Nature takes an enduring and intuitive approach to design that transcends fleeting trends and encourages you to find your own personal style, source of creativity, and connection to the natural world. You don't need to travel to distant locales to find beauty; it's all around us, from the crackle of fallen leaves to the jagged bark of a tree.

-To provide insight to the process which engages nature and design, this collection of work shines light on the educational methods currently being explored in China's top institutions Bio-inspired design is both simple and complex. Simple because it provides an easy reference to discuss ideas through a means we all can relate to and become inspired by - the natural world. The topic engages a spectrum of professionals, from environmental enthusiasts to design professionals and scientists. The complexity arises when we need to understand beyond what we see and understand how nature works. At many levels, we are still exploring how systems are inter-related and to decipher these relationships we have to look beyond the idealized inspiration. Throughout the world, research and development that focuses on bio-inspiration has been steadily increasing and is expected to continue to do so for the next two decades. Currently, China is one of the leaders in scholarly articles focusing on bio-inspiration. Although this topic is developing at an impressive rate, much of the public awareness of bio-inspiration and similar areas of research such as biomimetics and biomimicry is relatively unknown. Therefore, to provide insight into this process, this collection of work shines light on the methods currently being explored in China's top institutions.

In Wild Design, environmental designer and scientist Alan Marshall presents a manifesto on nature-inspired designs, including visionary concepts as well as exhibits of actual products, landscapes, and artwork from around the world. With elegant photographs and drawings, the book incorporates the ethos of sustainability by documenting many of the results of the Ecomimicry Project, an international experiment in ecodesign that marries the skills of local artists and ecologists from Western Australia and the Carpathian mountains in Eastern Europe. All the designs treat nature as an inspiration for ecofriendly innovations. Among the fascinating possibilities: a bike helmet based on the crustacean exoskeleton, a heliotropic house, and a car fueled by algae. Marshall argues that design should be the responsibility of all, not just a technological elite, and it is in this spirit that he offers this timely, important book.

This book provides readers with a timely guide to the application of biomimetic principles in architecture and engineering design, and describes various aspects of motion in living systems. Geometric, mechanical and rhythmic parameters are listed and illustrated using examples from flora and fauna, and contextualized within an integrated mapping of biomechanical combinations that have proved their success in the course of evolution. For designers, the schemes identify those aspects that have a high probability of being efficiently combined, paving the way for new solutions and offering a method of evolutionary problem solving. The book guides readers through the field of nature-inspired design, offering an extraordinary resource for professional architects, engineers and designers, as well as for researchers and students. Throughout the book, natural evolution is approached as a powerful resource that can enrich architecture and design by providing innovative, optimal and sustainable solutions.

The mother-and-son founders of powerhouse interior design firm Clements Design have mastered interiors of a spare yet sumptuous sophistication mixed with California ease that are highly sought after by a star-studded clientele, including Ellen DeGeneres, Adam Levine, Bruno Mars, Kendall Jenner, and Jennifer Lawrence. In their first book, Clements Design showcases eight outstanding residences that embody the Clements style: understated elegance, sensuous austerity, Zen-like simplicity, easy glamour, and grand intimacy. Clements creates rarefied environments that are ultra-luxurious but never pretentious. Instead, their pared-down rooms are remarkably cozy and relaxed due to the blend of natural materials, muted colors, and matte surfaces and textures, especially from wood, stone, and nubby textiles—perfect for the indoor-outdoor lifestyle of their clients. A Clements home is the perfect backdrop for jaw-dropping art collections that may include Picasso, Morandi, Warhol, and Twombly, and for entertaining in spacious, expansive rooms populated by Rick Owens daybeds, Prouvé chairs, Giacometti light fixtures, Asian sculptures, and Persian rugs in pale shades, all blended with exceptional antiques carefully placed about the spaces. Serenity reigns over all, filling the viewer with a peaceful calm that is priceless. Personal accounts of working with Clements Design and living in their interiors from, among others, Ellen DeGeneres and Adam Levine, complement the glorious photography. Eight Houses: Clements Design offers a simple life set in an environment of exceeding high style and taste.

The inner architecture of a material can have an astonishing effect on its overall properties and is vital to understand when designing new materials. Nature is a master at designing hierarchical structures and so researchers are looking at biological examples for inspiration, specifically to understand how nature arranges the inner architectures for a particular function in order to apply these design principles into man-made materials. Materials Design Inspired by Nature is the first book to address the relationship between the inner architecture of natural materials and their physical properties for materials design. The book explores examples from plants, the marine world, arthropods and bacteria, where the inner architecture is exploited to obtain specific mechanical, optical or magnetic properties along with how these design principles are used in man-made products. Details of the experimental methods used to investigate hierarchical structures are also given. Written by leading experts in bio-inspired materials research, this is essential reading for anyone developing new materials.

“Young readers will be captivated by the contemporary inventors and inventions featured, and inspired to incorporate biomimicry into their own designs.” —Miranda Paul, author of One Plastic Bag and Water is Water Who's the best teacher for scientists, engineers, AND designers? Mother nature, of course! When an inventor is inspired by nature for a new creation, they are practicing something called biomimicry. Meet ten real-life scientists, engineers, and designers who imitate plants and animals to create amazing new technology. An engineer shapes the nose of his train like a kingfisher's beak. A scientist models her solar cell on the mighty leaf. Discover how we copy nature's good ideas to solve real-world problems! WINNER AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books A National Science Teacher Association Best STEM Book “Mimic Makers reveals marvels of engineering inspired by nature with images that invite careful observation and explanations that are expressive, but never over simplified.” —Kim Parfitt, AP Biology and Environmental Science teacher, curriculum developer for Howard Hughes Medical Institute Biointeractive, and recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Math Teaching. “Amazing! . . . Love that the book features the scientists and inventors, and that there is a diverse set of them. —Janine Benyus, co-founder of the Biomimicry Institute

Guide your students through the fascinating world of engineering, and how to draw inspiration from Nature’s genius to create, make, and innovate a better human-built world. Studded with more than 150 illustrations of natural phenomena and engineering concepts, this fascinating and practical book clearly demonstrates how engineering design is broadly relevant for all students, not just those who may become scientists or engineers. Mr. Stier describes clever, engaging activities for students at every grade level to grasp engineering concepts by exploring the everyday design genius of the natural world around us. Students will love learning about structural engineering while standing on eggs; investigating concepts in sustainable design by manufacturing cement out of car exhaust; and coming to understand how ant behavior has revolutionized the way computer programs, robots, movies, and video games are designed today. You will come away with an understanding of engineering and Nature unlike any you’ve had before, while taking your ability to engage students to a whole new level. Engineering Education for the Next Generation is a wonderful introduction to the topic for any teacher who wants to understand more about engineering design in particular, its relation to the larger subjects of STEM/STEAM, and how to engage students from all backgrounds in a way that meaningfully transforms their outlook on the world and their own creativity in a lifelong way. · Fun to read, comprehensive exploration of cutting-edge approaches to K-12 engineering education · Detailed descriptions and explanations to help teachers create activities and lessons · An emphasis on engaging students with broad and diverse interests and backgrounds · Insights from a leading, award-winning K-12 engineering curriculum that has reached thousands of teachers and students in the U.S. and beyond · Additional support website (www.LearningWithNature.org) providing more background, videos, curricula, slide decks, and other supplemental materials