Biomimetics: Detecting and Imitating Design Ideas in Creation

Biomimetics is a term used for copying engineering ideas from the natural world, and it has become a great source of innovative inventions. One of the most famous is the Wright brothers with their first heavier-than-air flying machine which directly copied the wings of birds. Other examples are the burdock plant which inspired the invention of Velcro, the Gecko which led to robots which can walk even upside down, the lotus leaf which has led to self-cleaning glass and the bombardier beetle which has a number of applications including a sprinkler system for targeting potential fire hazards and an engine additive injection system. How do these inspirations help us to build an argument for design in nature?