Biomimetics: nature leads the way on design

That bird flight inspired Leonardo da Vinci to conceptualize “flying machines,” only to be developed centuries later by the Wright brothers by observing pigeons in flight, is quite well known. Such imitation of the models, systems, and elements of nature for the purpose of solving complex problems, otherwise known as biomimetics or biomimicry, is not new. Mother Nature is a great engineer that over the years has fascinated engineers and scientists alike, who have borrowed and applied its time-tested patterns and strategies. Technological advancements and continuous endeavors to push the limits of engineering have led to transformational innovations, as can be seen in some of the recent trends to catch up with nature's best assets.

Velcro is perhaps the best known and commercially successful example of a nature-inspired design. After a hunting trip in the Alps in 1941, Swiss engineer Mestral's socks and dog were covered in burdock burrs. Intrigued by it, Mestral studied them under a microscope to understand the simple system of interlocking hooks and spent the next few years developing Velcro. Such mimicking of nature's precise and efficient shapes, structures, and geometries is referred to as the basic level of biomimicry, by American biologist Janine Benyus.