BIONIC DESIGN - THE HUMAN TOUCH OF TECHNOLOGY
DS 32: Proceedings of DESIGN 2004, the 8th International Design Conference, Dubrovnik, Croatia
Year: 2004
Editor: Marjanovic D.
Author: Thallemer, A.
Section: DESIGN RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY
Page(s): 517 - 524
Abstract
The term "Bionik" stems from BIOlogy and the German term for technology: "techNIK". Opposite to biomimicry, where the nature is just serving as role model to be copied, Bionic stands for natural inspiration sources. The latter derives its ideation from the living world not by mere copying but by rational, scientific reasoning deduced from those examples. Advantage being, that nature has had billion years of development time and trial & error feedback loops in order to perfectly optimize its "products". Biomimesis is only depicting in a superficial, phenomenological approach feigned similarities between nature and its technical counterpart. See how nature has inspired our problem solving: The Human Touch of Technology.
Keywords: bionic, design, nature, pneumatic structures