By Neil B. McGahee

Anything we can do, Mother Nature seems to have done it first - and better. That's why researchers from Georgia Tech's Center for Biologically Inspired Design are turning to the natural world for solutions to real-world problems.

"Natural systems must cope with environmental changes and innovations to survive," Jeannette Yen, CBID director and professor of biology, says. "Biologically inspired design or biomimetics allow us to take ideas from nature and incorporate them in modern technologies such as engineering, design and logistics."

The concept of biomimetics is very old - Leonardo da Vinci observed birds when building his unsuccessful flying machine in 1496 - but has gathered momentum recently due to advances in technologies.

"Perhaps the best known result of biologically inspired design is the development of Velcro," Yen says. "In the 1940s, a Swiss scientist was removing burrs from his dog when he realized how the hooks of the burrs clung to the fur." The discovery inspired him to create the unique two-sided fastener.

Yen and biology associate professor Marc Weissburg, co-director of CBID, had known each other for years through their mutual interest in marine biology. Weissburg was researching marine animals' ability to use their sense of smell to find food or a mate while Yen was studying plankton's ability to find a mate through similar olfactory location.

"Our research naturally lends itself to working with engineers," Weissburg says. "That's why we're at Tech. I came here because I knew that engineers could help me understand biology in a better way. There's not enough time in my life for me to learn as much about fluid dynamics as they do or for them to learn as much about biology as I do. Given the natural connections, we decided to develop a center that would promote collaborations between engineers and biologists."

Weissburg, an associate biology professor, and Don Webster, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, are studying marine animals to understand how they use chemical signals to track objects - information that may be used to make robotic sensor systems for underwater vehicle navigation.

Mechanical engineering professors Minami Yoda, a fluid dynamicist, and Peter H. Rogers, an acoustician, are researching the auditory retina, a concept based on motion sensors found in a fish's ear. Industrial and systems engineering professor Craig Tovey studied honeybees to find effective Web-hosting methods.

Materials science and engineering professor Ken Sandhage and biochemistry professor Nils Kroger are studying diatoms to discover processes for building nanostructures. Polymer, textile and fiber engineering professor Mohan Srinivasarao studied the morpho and discovered the brilliant blue butterfly produced its shimmering shades of blue and green not with pigments but by light reflection.

Hang Lu, an assistant professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, believes a worm may provide clues into the way memories are formed and retained in the human brain.

Biomimetics proponents say that recent discoveries are just the tip of an iceberg of knowledge to be gleaned from nature.

"We have always looked at the Earth as an infinite resource where we take and discard, suffering huge losses of energy, whereas natural organisms coordinate input and output to create complete ecological functions," Weissburg says. "Organisms are a big book of design solutions."

©2007 Georgia Tech Alumni Association

The first International Symposium for Biologically-inspired Design and Engineering at Georgia Tech will be held Wed.- Fri., May 10-12, 2006 in the Georgia Tech Global Learning and Conference Center. Pre-registration is required. The symposium is free to all Georgia Tech students, faculty, and staff. Fees for non-GT attendees are $100 for students & postdocs, $200 for faculty, and $250 for all others. To register for the symposium, submit an abstract, or for more information, please refer to the symposium website.

Guiding Philosophy and Goals
Biologically-inspired design focuses on the use of biological processes, organisms and systems as potential sources of innovation solutions for vexing technological or engineering problems. The goal of biologically-inspired design is to understand biological systems in such a way that permits the transference of biological principles to human-built systems. Biological systems are often more efficient than their human engineered analogs, and emphasize materials or processes that participate in natural cycles, which minimize environmental burdens often associated with human manufacturing. The bio-inspired design approach is typified by the recent understanding of physical principles underlying the ability of reptiles and insects to adhere (even upside down) onto surfaces, and the application of these principles to novel, non-toxic and non-pressure based adhesive materials. Thus, biologically-inspired design is an approach clearly distinguishable from domesticating or harvesting natural products. It is contingent on appropriate biological knowledge and appropriate transfer of knowledge to industrial or engineering sectors, and thus depends heavily on inter-disciplinary collaborations between the biological, engineering and the industrial communities. Such collaborations are often fortuitous in spite of the potential benefits. Our goal is to facilitate the collaboration between biological scientists and engineers to encourage innovative solutions that will increase the, efficiency, practicality, and sustainability of human solutions.

The first International Symposium for Biologically-inspired Design and Engineering at Georgia Tech will be held Wed.- Fri., May 10-12, 2006 in the Georgia Tech Global Learning and Conference Center. Pre-registration is required. The symposium is free to all Georgia Tech students, faculty, and staff. Fees for non-GT attendees are $100 for students & postdocs, $200 for faculty, and $250 for all others. To register for the symposium, submit an abstract, or for more information, please refer to the symposium website.

Guiding Philosophy and Goals
Biologically-inspired design focuses on the use of biological processes, organisms and systems as potential sources of innovation solutions for vexing technological or engineering problems. The goal of biologically-inspired design is to understand biological systems in such a way that permits the transference of biological principles to human-built systems. Biological systems are often more efficient than their human engineered analogs, and emphasize materials or processes that participate in natural cycles, which minimize environmental burdens often associated with human manufacturing. The bio-inspired design approach is typified by the recent understanding of physical principles underlying the ability of reptiles and insects to adhere (even upside down) onto surfaces, and the application of these principles to novel, non-toxic and non-pressure based adhesive materials. Thus, biologically-inspired design is an approach clearly distinguishable from domesticating or harvesting natural products. It is contingent on appropriate biological knowledge and appropriate transfer of knowledge to industrial or engineering sectors, and thus depends heavily on inter-disciplinary collaborations between the biological, engineering and the industrial communities. Such collaborations are often fortuitous in spite of the potential benefits. Our goal is to facilitate the collaboration between biological scientists and engineers to encourage innovative solutions that will increase the, efficiency, practicality, and sustainability of human solutions.

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The Department of Defense (DoD) recognized Dr. Loeffler's contributions to innovative cleanup strategies for chlorinated solvents, which have become the single largest cost driver in the DoD groundwater cleanup program. The research team led by Dr. Loeffler discovered new microbes and applied bioremediation processes that will generate significant cost savings at DoD sites across the country. The award was presented by Mr. Alex Beehler, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, Environment, Safety and Occupational Health in Washington D.C. on November 30th. 2004.

The Department of Defense (DoD) recognized Dr. Loeffler's contributions to innovative cleanup strategies for chlorinated solvents, which have become the single largest cost driver in the DoD groundwater cleanup program. The research team led by Dr. Loeffler discovered new microbes and applied bioremediation processes that will generate significant cost savings at DoD sites across the country. The award was presented by Mr. Alex Beehler, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, Environment, Safety and Occupational Health in Washington D.C. on November 30th. 2004.

Dr. Mark Hay, Teasley Chair in Environmental Biology, was recently awarded a National Undersea Research Center grant entitled, "Herbivore Resistance to Seaweed Defenses and the Effects on Reef Community Structure". This grant awards not only research funds, but also research boat time and use of the underwater Aquarius lab. Aquarius is an underwater ocean laboratory located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The laboratory is deployed three and half miles offshore, at a depth of 60 feet, next to spectacular coral reefs. Scientists live in Aquarius during ten-day missions using saturation diving to study and explore our coastal ocean. Aquarius is owned by NOAA and is operated by the National Undersea Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

Dr. Jeannette Yen, Professor, and Dr. Marc Weissburg, Assistant Professor, were just awarded a grant from Office of Naval Research entitled, "Fluid Mechanical and Chemical Cues in Thin Layers: Role in Organizing Zooplankton Aggregations".

Abstract: We propose to examine the conditions that are conducive to the formation of plankton aggregations to help address the prevalence and importance of thin layers in the world oceans. The goals of the proposed laboratory experiments are to define the mechanisms by which zooplankton may be attracted to thin layers, and to determine which properties of thin layers evoke the orientation response of copepods. The proposed experiments in our newly constructed salt-water flume target naturally-occurring strain rates, velocity differentials, and shear layer thickness (in situ information will be provided via collaboration with Cowles et al.). Target zoo/phyto-plankton species are those observed in thin layers, and chemical cues will match phytoplankton species and concentrations observed in situ.

A series of experimental treatments are planned to isolate the chemical and hydrodynamic signals that induce zooplankton orientation. The anticipated outcomes of the proposed research include: 1) improved understanding of formation and persistence of thin layers and zooplankton aggregations; 2) better appreciation of the balance between physical forcing and biological responses in thin layer formation; 3) data on zooplankton responses that are required for individual-based models of aggregation to thin layer signals; 4) provide information to field studies about the range of physical measurements that must be performed in order to characterize thin layers and to evaluate their spatial and temporal persistence; and 5) help to target field sites having these features by determining thresholds at which relevant signals induce aggregations.

Dr. Mark Hay, Teasley Chair in Environmental Biology, was recently awarded a National Undersea Research Center grant entitled, "Herbivore Resistance to Seaweed Defenses and the Effects on Reef Community Structure". This grant awards not only research funds, but also research boat time and use of the underwater Aquarius lab. Aquarius is an underwater ocean laboratory located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The laboratory is deployed three and half miles offshore, at a depth of 60 feet, next to spectacular coral reefs. Scientists live in Aquarius during ten-day missions using saturation diving to study and explore our coastal ocean. Aquarius is owned by NOAA and is operated by the National Undersea Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.