Bio-inspiration: Learning creative design principia

Abstract

Reusing or modifying known design concepts cannot meet new challenges facing engineering systems. However, engineers can find inspiration outside their traditional domains in order to develop novel design concepts. The key to progress and knowledge acquisition is found in inspiration from diverse domains. This paper explores abstract knowledge acquisition for use in conceptual design. This is accomplished by considering body armor in nature and that developed in Europe in the last Millennium. The research is conducted in the context of evolution patterns of the Directed Evolution Method, which is briefly described. The focus is on conceptual inspiration. Analysis results of historic and natural body armor evolution are described and two sets of acquired creative design principia from both domains are presented. These principia can be used to stimulate human development of novel design concepts. Creative design principia, combined with human creativity, may lead to revolutionary changes, rather than merely evolutionary steps, in the evolution of engineering systems. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2006.