BII-Design: Reintegrating Biology as a Key Component of Bioinspired Design

University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL

Investigators

Abstract

Imagine using microbe-killing materials, structurally similar to insect wings, on hospital and kitchen surfaces. Or generating cheetah-level speeds and power in robots as small as ants. Finding ways to apply natural principles to real-world problems is the goal of bioinspired design. The objectives of this proposal are to develop research, teaching and public engagement activities that will form the basis for creating a future Institute for Bioinspired Design. Specific goals include: 1. Describe and apply mechanical and material properties seen in nature to engineering principles for real-world problems; 2. Develop an educational model aimed at training interdisciplinary teams of scientists; and 3. Actively engage the public in all aspects of this work through public seminars, videos, and the development of K-12 curricula. The field of bioinspired design is highly interdisciplinary, and requires integrating distinct expertise in engineering, materials science, chemistry and biology. However, current training and educational models are often insufficient to prepare the next generation of scientists to work seamlessly across disciplines. This future Institute will serve as a home for interdisciplinary teams to come together quickly and solve societal problems and grand challenges by using best practices of bioinspired design while training the next generation of scientists active in bioinspired design. Bioinspired design involves using nature as a guide to inform technological innovation. Successfully applying biological principles to innovative design requires integrating across all biological scales: from molecular and cellular processes, to whole organisms, and even ecosystems. The objective of this Design Proposal is to develop research, teaching and outreach activities that will form the basis for a future Implementation Proposal for creating an Institute for Bioinspired Design. The creativity required to identify real-world applications of biological analogs, or to recognize which problems can be successfully tackled with biologically inspired solutions, necessitates meaningful interdisciplinary exchange between those working across different disciplines including biology, chemistry, physics, art, design, engineering and business. For bioinspired design to be successful, we also need a novel educational model to train diverse teams of researchers to work together effectively, and to collaborate on creating original projects from discovery to design. The planned future institute can address not only improvements and advances in bioinspired design but can serve as a model of integrated biological research that moves beyond biology to integrate with other disciplines facilitating both scientific and societal advances. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.