A look into how mechanical design and biological systems may work together

Abstract

The study of biomimicry is expanding rapidly. Using a recently developed system of the field, 
this article categorizes particular instances of effective technology transfer between biology and engineering 
into two subcategories: biomimetics by analogy and biomimetics through induction. Both well-known and 
less common uses are discussed, such as aviation winglets, an improved straw-bale screw, Velcro, self-cleaning 
surfaces and coatings, and spider studies. General concepts that can be implemented by engineers with little 
background in biology are discussed, and the need of a shared vocabulary between biologists and engineers is 
highlighted, making presentations at varying levels of depth more compatible.