School: Biomimetics in an Age of Convergence

Havanna, Cuba, March 12-14, 2012

Teachers:
Prof. Dr. Ille C. Gebeshuber
Prof. Dr. Werner Obermayr
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Susanne Still

Biomimetics is the ‘abstraction’ of good design from nature. (Centre for Biomimetics, Reading, UK)

Biomimetics is an emerging, fast growing field that aims to tap the huge amount of knowledge available in biology for human applications such as new materials, new structures, new systems, new ways of doing science and technology, innovation, etc. The final goals of biomimetics are to create functional materials using harmless substances under normal temperature and pressure, and to develop materials functionalities through the control of properties and form at the nanoscale. Mankind has just begun to mimic the complex relationship of structure and function as it appears in natural materials, optimized at different length scales, yielding extraordinary performance.

From the point of view of the materials engineer, biological materials are amazing: there are tough materials, smart materials, adaptive materials, functional materials, materials with molecular precision, hierarchical materials and multiuse materials. The nanolevel, i.e., single molecules, their interactions, and emerging properties on larger length scales, are the very constituents of organisms. Most functionalities on the macroscale are based on functionalities on the nanoscale. Most levels of hierarchy in biology reach down to the nanoscale.

A prominent example for this is the surface of the lotus leaf. The lotus is sacred for the Buddhists, because of its purity: it is never dirty. Reason for this is the self-cleaning property of the lotus leaf. The German botanist Wilhelm Barthlott was initially “just” doing botany research, with no application in mind. He found out that the self-cleaning ability of the lotus leaf is based on minuscule structures, something counterintuitive, because generally people would think the flatter a surface, the smoother, the easier to clean. Barthlott published his results, and then started to approach companies for possible development of lotus-inspired products. He approached companies for 11 years – with no success. Until finally, the German company STO accepted the challenge, developed Lotusan®, and the rest is history. Millions of litres of this self-cleaning facade paint are sold every year, and biomimetics became famous, with very positive connotation.

The school will be held by three physicists from Europe and Asia: Prof. Ille C. Gebeshuber os a physics engineer from Austria who is currently working in Malaysia. Her biomimetics approach comprises extensive rainforest expeditions with students from various fields and cultural backgrounds. Understanding the deep principles of living nature regarding materials, structures and processes and subsequent transfer to science, technology and and the arts in an ecologically sustainable way ist he main focus of her work. Prof. Werner Obermayr teaches students at the University of Applied Sciences Kapfenberg in Austria. His interest in biomimetics comprises methods to teach this field to engineers, and specific applications of biomimetics in automotive engineering and energy related aspects. Assoc. Prof. Susanne Still from Hawaii is a specialist of machine learning. Bioinspiration is of paramount importance also in this field.

Lectures: Biology for Engineers, Introduction to Biomimetics I&II, Biomimetics in Tribology, Biomimetics for MEMS Design, Biomimetics in Science and the Arts, Machine Learning.