Jurassic Park meets engineering innovation Print this article
Dinosaurs are one of the unusual sources of inspiration that nature provides to inspire engineering structures and systems, according to Design and Nature V: Comparing Design in Nature with Science and Engineering, recently published by WIT Press
Nature has shown an extraordinary capacity to develop dynamic structures and systems over many millions of years. What researchers learn from these structures and systems can often be applied to improve or develop human-made structures and systems.
Aimed at providing fresh impetus and inspiration for researchers in this field, Design and Nature V, consists of papers presented at the fifth International Conference on Design and Nature.
An example of the type of project featured is the Pterodrone, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for urban environments that has taken inspiration from a group of extinct flying animals, thepterosaurs that flew over the heads of dinosaurs. In the search for biological solutions to mechanical problems, the Pterodrone project will develop and demonstrate a next-generation capability for sensor emplacement using pterosaurs as the model animal. Tapejara wellnhoferi, a pterodactyloid from the Early Cretaceous of Brazil, shows promise in inspiring the development of a UAV of much superior range, a sensor platform capable of aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic locomotion, by altering its wing shape. Tapejara was a sophisticated flyer with a cruising speed of 30 km/hr. Building on studies of the Tapejara, the Pterodrone employs a flexible wing design to achieve a wide range of multimodal locomotion. On land, the Pterodrone could walk quadrupedally for gathering information. In aquatic environments, it could achieve the configuration of a two-masted catamaran sailboat.
Living system
Another paper discusses how a known ‘fun living system’, an aquarium,
can bring engineering alive as a viable career option for children. An
aquarium is a great example of a living system that can be used as a
teaching tool for future engineers. It is a combination of live
interacting systems, which can be analysed using multidisciplinary
engineering and science principles.
While children are familiar with an aquarium via personal aquariums or
school field trips to a commercial aquarium, they seldom make a
connection to the engineering and science principles behind the design,
operation and maintenance of such a living system. Students can easily
be introduced to different engineering topics, principles and
disciplines via the study of such a system.
Common topics such as mass and energy balances; fluid flow; work,
energy, and efficiency; forces and levers; material strength and
stresses; water quality and treatment; and electrical signal processing
can be made relevant to the workings of a living system.
The aquarium theme also helps in the understanding of biological
systems, ecosystems, pollution and sustainable development. This paper
describes the use of a living system such as an aquarium to teach
science and engineering concepts to students of all ages.
The contributions in Design and Nature V reflect the rich variety of
work currently taking place around the world on the topic. The book
will be of interest to engineers, architects, designers, ecologists,
mathematicians and others whose research or application work involves
applying lessons learned from nature to human-made structures or
systems.
For more info, log on to www.witpress.com