This talk will explained how Biologists could contribute to solving engineering problems more efficiently than the pure physical sciences. This new field of research is known as biomimetics and is the abstraction of good design from nature, which is often more efficient, simple, and cheaper than the conventional physical design. The talk will illustrate the potential of Biomimetic design with a number of case studies.

Professor Julian Vincent spent most of his research career studying the mechanical design of organisms and working out ways in which aspects of the design can be used in technology. In Reading he initiated and ran the Centre for Biomimetics together with Professor G Jeronimidis. He was invited to the University of Bath where he initiated the Centre for Biomimetic and Natural Technologies. His interests have covered the mechanical design of plants and animals, texture of food, use of natural materials in technology, deployable structures in architecture and robotics, smart systems and structures. He has recently been developing ontological methods to introduce concepts from biology into engineering and design based on the unifying concept of the trade-off, and has attracted critical acceptance.