A Bridge To New Insight And Inspiration Biomimetics and Orthotics Derek Jones PhD., MBA
Mar 28, 2016
A Bridge To New Insight And Inspiration
Biomimetics and OrthoticsDerek Jones PhD., MBA
Bio-inspired engineering
Be-inspired engineering
Its Fashionable..but is it just hype
Wananga “School of life”
✤ the Sky is the Roof
✤ the Earth is the Floor
✤ all Life Forms are Teachers
A pattern to encircle, envelop and crush..
A Metaphor to Solve a Problem
Encircle it.
Look at it from different directions.
View from different perspectives.
Upside down - Back to front.
Zoom in - Zoom out.
Watch a Solution Grow!
What are you trying to achieve?Keep focused on the goal
Orthosis - added to the bodyStart with the fundamentals - What is the problem?
Static StructuresProgress through new materials and methods
New HorizonsTechnologies that behave like muscle, control methodologies that exploit principles of biological movement - device structures like the skeleton
From Herr, Whitely And Childress -
“Cyborg Technology - Biomimetic Orthotic And Prosthetic Technology”
Dynamic StructureActuated AFO
1) Thermoplastic AFO2) Series-elastic actuator3) Angle sensor4) Capacitive force sensors
Some process steps
✤ Identify the limitations of current functionality
✤ Formulate the gaps as biological questions - How in the World?
✤ Search for nature’s solution - Taxonomy
✤ Generate some product ideas
✤ unique?
✤ cost-effective?
✤ sustainable?
Orthoses are addedand yet .. involve a cost
•Control Motion at a Joint or Joints - Allowing, Resisting, Blocking
•Control Positions of Body Segments -Correcting and Aligning
•Redirect Forces from Body Tissue - Relieving, Sharing Load
Cost - Cosmesis, Comfort, Encumbrance, Weight, Ease of Use
Control Motion at a joint?
Control Positions of body segments ?
Redirect Forces from body tissue?
How nature meets challenges
www.asknature.org
Thin walled, dense outer
shellLow density, cellular core
Animal Quills
Pea Stems
Prevent BucklingAxial and bending loads?
Can we control joint positions under load without overt constraint?
Western Pacific hexactinellid sponge
Laminated Skeletal
elements
Grasping tendrils
Exploring Strategy
Now you have your great concept!
But you still have a long way to go..
The pioneer’sproblem
Those who go first just might get opposition from the natives
Lead with Business Strategy - Support with Design
As businesses adapt to meet new market needs and opportunities, strategy must lead, design must
contribute.
Designers must think like business people and create like artists