Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Means, advantages and limits of merging biology with Technology

  • Published:
Journal of Bionic Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The natural world spent billions of years in solution-finding during evolution, which could benefit Technology. How do we put that in a nutshell? Biological systems are more complex than the most complex current technology. Any given function and effect are simultaneously coordinated and linked with others at many levels of biological organisation-from cell organelle to organism, to population and ecosystem. Technology does not have tools to deal with the complexity and “goal-intendedness” of living systems. But limits for interaction exist on both sides-Biological science itself is also too empirical and not mature enough to provide a solid base for correlating living with technical systems. Moving towards a synthesis, where engineers can utilize the vast amount of available biological data, we suggest using a tool called “Theory of Inventive Problem Solving” (TRIZ) and clarifying some important methodological issues, which have not previously been recognised in bionic engineering: 1) Requirement for more appropriate definitions of “system”, “effect”, “function”, “law” and “rule”. 2) Requirement for understanding or even measuring the degree of contradiction or analogy between functions in biological and artificial and/or non-living engineering system-there is no simple direct correlation between what engineers find useful and what biology does.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Altshuller G S. Algorithm of Invention. Moscow Worker, Moscow, 1973, pp296.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Altshuller G S. Daring Formulas of Creativity. Karelia, Petrozavodsk, 1987, pp15–83.

  3. Bogatyrev N R. Ecological Engineering of Survival. Publishing House of SB RAS, Novosibirsk, 2000, pp184.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bogatyrev N R. Applied Ecology of Bumblebees. Novosibirsk, Russia, 2001, pp160.

  5. Vincent J F V. Smart biomimetic TRIZ. TRIZ Future, Pro ETRIA World Conf. Strasbourg, 2002, pp61–68.

  6. Vincent J F V, Mann D L. Systematic technology transfer from biology to engineering. Phil Trans R Soc, 2002, A360: 159–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Glazunov V N. The search of principles of action in technical systems. “Methods of problem analysis and decision searching in techniques”. Echnoi Transport, 1990, book 4: 111.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Reimers N F. Ecology: Theories, Rules, Earns, Principles and Hypotheses. Moscow, 1994, pp367.

  9. Bogatyrev N R, Bogatyreva O A. TRIZ and Biology: rules and restrictions. Proc of international TRIZ conference. Philadelphia, USA, 2003, 19, pp1–4.

  10. Pahl A — K. Contradiction and analogy as the basis for inventive thinking. TRIZ — Journal (online), August, 2002.

  11. Pahl A — K. What S—curves Really Are?. ETRIA Conference Proceedings. Strasbourg, 2002, pp277–293.

  12. Bogatyreva O. Management in ant colonies: Natural analogue of the resolution of social contradictions using TRIZ tools. ETRIA Conference Proceedings. Strasbourg, 2002, pp17–29.

  13. Zakharov A A. Worker alliances in Formica family (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Advances of Modern Biology, 1995: 459–469.

  14. Bogatyreva O A. The individual behaviour of ants of Formica subfamily. Problems of Ecology. Novosibirsk, Russia, 1981, pp144–159.

  15. Bogatyreva O A. Hierarchy and polyethism in the ant colony: two independent spheres of interrelations between workers with the solitary system of foraging. Proc of the 8-th All-Union Symp. “Ants And Forest Protection”. Novosibirsk, 1987, pp166–171.

  16. Van Noppen J — P, et al. Metaphor: A Classified Bibliography of Publications (post–1970). John Benjamins, Amsterdam, 1985.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  17. Van Noppen J — P, et al. Metaphor: A Classified Bibliography of Publications (1985 — 1990). John Benjamins, Amsterdam, 1990.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  18. For instance, see: * Eddington. The Nature of the Physical World. Cambridge University Press, London, 1929.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  19. * Einstein A. Relativity: The Special and General Theory, 14th Ed (Trans. 1960, Lawson R W). University Paperbacks, Methuen, London, 1916.

    Google Scholar 

  20. * Bohr N. Discussion with Einstein on epistemological problems in atomic physics. In: Albert Einstein: Philosopher-Scientist (Ed. Schilpp, P. A). Library of Living Philosophers: III. Evanston, 1949.

  21. * Epstein L C. Relativity Visualised. Insight Press, San Francisco, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  22. * Feynman R, Leighton R B, Sands M. The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Vol. I, II & III. Addison-Wesley, New York, 1963.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  23. * Gregory B. Inventing Reality: Physics as Language. John Wiley and Sons, Canada, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  24. * Davies P C W, Brown J. Super strings: The Theory of Everything?. Cambridge University Press, London, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  25. * Hawking S, Penrose R. The nature of space and time. Scientific American, 1996(7).

  26. * Penrose R. The Emperor’s New Mind. Oxford University Press, London, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  27. * Penrose R. Shadows of the Mind. Oxford University Press, London, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  28. * Barrow J. Theories of Everything. Oxford University Press, London, 1991.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  29. * Weinberg S. Dreams of a Final Theory: The Search for the Fundamental Laws of Nature. Pantheon, New York, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  30. * Stewart I, Golubitsky M. Fearful Symmetry: is God a Geometer?. Penguin, London, 1992.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  31. * Smoot G, Davidson K. Wrinkles in Time. William Morrow, New York, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  32. * Gribbin J. In Search of Schroedinger’s Cat. Bantam, New York, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  33. * Cohen J, Stewart I. The Collapse of Chaos. Penguin, New York, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Lawlor R. Sacred Geometry: Philosophy and Practise, Thames and Hudson, London, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  35. For discussion of Fractal/fractional Dimension, Correlation Dimension, Hausdorff-Besicovich Dimension, Information Dimension, Generalized Dimension, Pointwise Dimension, Nearest-neighbour Dimension, Similarity- or Self-Similarity Dimension see: * Berge P, Pomeau Y, Vidal C. Order within Chaos. John Wiley, New York, 1984.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  36. * Holzfuss J, Mayer-Kress G. An Approach to Error Estimation in the Application of Dimension Algorithms. In Dimensions and Entropies in Chaotic systems. Mayer-Kress (Ed) Springer, Berlin, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  37. * Rasband N S. Chaotic Dynamics of Non-linear Systems. Wiley, New York, 1990.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  38. Garnett P Williams. Chaos Theory Tamed. Joseph Henry Press, Washington, 1999.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  39. Pahl A-K, Bogatyreva O. Nested, Chained and intersecting or “complex” contradictions. Proc TRIZ Con, Mass, USA, 2003.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Biomimetic and Natural Technologies, Department of Mechanical Engineering, the University of Bath, BA2 7AY, UK

    O. A. Bogatyreva, A. -K. Pahl, N. R. Bogatyrev & J. F. V. Vincent

Authors
  1. O. A. Bogatyreva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. -K. Pahl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. N. R. Bogatyrev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J. F. V. Vincent
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to O. A. Bogatyreva.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bogatyreva, O.A., Pahl, A.K., Bogatyrev, N.R. et al. Means, advantages and limits of merging biology with Technology. J Bionic Eng 1, 121–132 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03399468

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03399468

Keywords

Search

Navigation