IB 535

Credit: 4 hours.

Focuses on how experts in biology and technological fields use bio-inspiration to create technology innovations to solve human problems. Classic examples, such as how the observation that seeds with barbs stick to animal fur led to Velcro, are explored. Students use and expand upon their current biological knowledge to explore new ways to create biologically-based sustainable innovations. Topics to be explored include nest building as inspiration for energy-efficient architecture, plant chemistry as inspiration for green manufacturing, animal locomotion and sensing as inspiration for robots, and the advances in understanding of biological nanostructures and nanoprocesses as inspiration for nanotechnology. In this course, students also produce teaching materials for their classrooms.