Concepts in Biomimetic Design: Methods and Tools to Incorporate Into a Biomimetic Design Course

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael W. Glier ◽  
Daniel A. McAdams ◽  
Julie S. Linsey
Keyword(s):  
Analogical Reasoning ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Biological Information ◽  
University Of Maryland ◽  
Biomimetic Design ◽  
Engineering Problems ◽  
Institute Of Technology ◽  
The Many ◽  
The University

Biomimetic design, the use of nature to inspire solutions to engineering problems, has been practiced on an ad hoc basis throughout human history. Only recently, however, have researchers sought to develop formal tools and principles to effectively tap the wealth of design solutions found within nature. Texas A&M University is developing an undergraduate course to introduce interdisciplinary engineering students to the current concepts, principles, and methods of biomimetic design, as found in published literature. This paper seeks to concisely present the results and conclusions of the many research efforts that will be incorporated into the developing course. The research reviewed in this paper is discussed with some emphasis on its pedagogical implications. Research efforts in applying design tools such as functional modeling, analogical reasoning, and the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) to biomimicry are summarized. This paper also discusses the efforts to develop effective tools to search biological information for design inspiration. As similar courses in biomimetic design have been conducted at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Maryland, the published findings from those courses are also presented.

Methods for Supporting Bioinspired Design

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael W. Glier ◽  
Joanna Tsenn ◽  
Julie S. Linsey ◽  
Daniel A. McAdams
Keyword(s):  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Biological Information ◽  
Functional Modeling ◽  
Graduate Degrees ◽  
Bioinspired Design ◽  
Powerful Approach ◽  
Engineering Problems ◽  
Keyword Searches ◽  
Design Inspiration

Bioinspired design, the use of nature to inspire solutions to engineering problems, is a powerful approach for innovation but is generally practiced on an ad hoc basis. Only recently, however, have researchers sought to develop formal tools and principles to effectively tap the wealth of design solutions found within nature. Research efforts in applying design tools such as the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ), functional modeling, and keyword searches to bioinspired design are summarized in this paper. The efforts to develop effective tools to search biological information for design inspiration are also discussed. This paper presents a case study where BioTRIZ, functional modeling, and bio-keyword searches were taught in a weekend-long workshop to working professionals in the process of obtaining their graduate degrees. The students were then given a project to re-engineer a product using the bioinspired methods. An analysis of their reports is given that discusses student success in implementing bioinspired design methods and student feedback on the methods.

scholarly journals Experience in teaching biological statistics

2020 ◽  
Vol 210 ◽  
pp. 22039
Author(s):  
Grigorii Kozlov ◽  
Mikhail Pushkarev
Keyword(s):  
Educational Research ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Publication Activity ◽  
State Institute ◽  
Petersburg State Institute ◽  
Institute Of Technology ◽  
The Many ◽  
The University ◽  
Curriculum Topics ◽  
Biological Statistics

The work summarizes the many years of experience in teaching the discipline “Biological statistics” to students - biotechnologists of the St. Petersburg State Institute of Technology (technical university). The paper provides data on the features of teaching the course and its relationship with other disciplines of the curriculum, topics of coursework performed by students, publication activity of students, integration of educational research work of students with topics of the university and industrial partners of the university, as well as attracting students to the development of the discipline.

Effect of Providing an Opportunity for Competition in Design Education

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenji Iino ◽  
Masayuki Nakao
Keyword(s):  
Design Education ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Functional Requirement ◽  
Good Opportunity ◽  
Good Design ◽  
Creative Solutions ◽  
Students First ◽  
Institute Of Technology ◽  
To Come ◽  
The University

We have been offering conceptual design courses to graduate level mechanical engineering students. The courses are taught at three different graduate schools; Kyushu Institute of Technology, Sophia University, and The University of Tokyo. The mechanisms of course offering are different among these three schools, however, the underlying theme is the same. That is to identify a problem that the students want to solve and work in groups to come up with creative solutions. The students first go through sessions to sharpen their sense of feeling inconveniences. We then emphasize the importance of properly stating the functional requirement for their yet-to-build solution. Engineering students often struggle with this first stage. Once they set the goal, the course teaches brainstorming, Design Record Graph, and prototyping. Last year, we experimented with a final assignment of producing posters of their new products. The posters were collected and presented at an adult conference. The conference participants cast votes for their preferred posters. The top three winners received book cards to purchase books. This poster competition gave the students high incentives to produce good design proposals. The winning factor was not just technical supremacy but the votes were strongly affected by the solution presentation on the posters. It provided a good opportunity to teach engineering students that technology alone is not always the most important factor in winning businesses.

scholarly journals A DESIGN CHALLENGE - INCORPORATING DESIGN INTO THE FIRST YEAR ENGINEERING CURRICULUM

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott B. Nokleby ◽  
Remon Pop-Iliev
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Students ◽  
First Year ◽  
Engineering Curriculum ◽  
Solid Modelling ◽  
Dual Nature ◽  
Engineering Graphics ◽  
Engineering Design Process ◽  
Design Projects ◽  
Institute Of Technology ◽  
The University

This paper outlines a novel engineering graphics and design course at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT). The course is designed to enable first year engineering students to learn the engineering design process while at the same time developing strong free-hand sketching and 3-D solid modelling skills. The dual nature of the graphics-design course enables students to learn engineering graphics in a non-isolated manner. The results after two years of offering the course show that first-year team-based projects are feasible and manageable and that first-year engineering students are capable of completing rather complex and innovative solid modelling design projects.

Sketching in Design: Easily Influencing Behavior

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley Ruocco ◽  
Sophoria Westmoreland ◽  
Linda C. Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Global Economy ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Mechanical Design ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Design Problems ◽  
University Of Maryland ◽  
Capstone Course ◽  
Conceptual Design Phase ◽  
Documentation Tool ◽  
The University

Many studies have shown the importance of sketching skill in engineering design, more specifically in the conceptual design phase. Yet, engineering students today clearly have a preference when it comes to design and sketching is not often included in their visual documentation tool kit. The reasons may be that first, today’s contemporary engineering course plan does not include a sketch training course leaving students feeling inadequate to the task. Secondly in such a demanding fast passed global economy, time is of the essence and tools such as CAD, Pro-E, and Inventor offer quick solutions to design problems. Overall students do not appear to appreciate the value of sketching in the design process. This must be changed. This paper presents the results of a study to intervene with the purpose of influencing student use of sketching during design in a senior capstone course at The University of Maryland. The students sketches are reviewed pre and post a specific lesson based on the importance of sketching in mechanical design. This sketching importance lesson changed the content of the sketches when compared to a control group.

scholarly journals Students’ Perception about Sustainability in the Engineering School of Bilbao (University of the Basque Country): Insertion Level and Importance

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 8673
Author(s):  
Zaloa Aginako ◽  
Teresa Guraya
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Basque Country ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Sustainability In Higher Education ◽  
University Curricula ◽  
The University

Almost three decades have passed since the Rio declaration, and after numerous initiatives developed to include sustainability in higher education, with the support of Education for Sustainable Development, it is worth wondering at what point is the process of inserting sustainability in university degrees. To clarify this question, engineering students were inquired, at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), about their perception of the insertion-level of sustainability and the importance they give to it (in environmental, social, and economic dimensions). The novelty of this study lies in the use of a new questionnaire, based on the students’ activity. The instrument was designed ad hoc and was previously validated for this study. The results indicate a low insertion level of sustainability in its three dimensions in three engineering degrees analysed. Nevertheless, the research also shows that the students give great importance to Sustainable Development (SD), either in academic, personal, or professional spheres. The low insertion level of SD and the high interest of students should be considered by the academic institution as an opportunity to deep in its holistic approach to promote the integration of SD in university curricula, not only in engineering degrees.

Engineering for good: A case of community driven engineering innovation

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chinweike Eseonu ◽  
Martin A Cortes
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Students ◽  
Technology Innovation ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
First Year ◽  
Engineering Curriculum ◽  
Engineering Design Process ◽  
The World ◽  
The University ◽  
Social Consideration

There is a culture of disengagement from social consideration in engineering disciplines. This means that first year engineering students, who arrive planning to change the world through engineering, lose this passion as they progress through the engineering curriculum. The community driven technology innovation and investment program described in this paper is an attempt to reverse this trend by fusing community engagement with the normal engineering design process. This approach differs from existing project or trip based approaches – outreach – because the focus is on local communities with which the university team forms a long-term partnership through weekly in-person meetings and community driven problem statements – engagement.

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