Introducing Emotional Bionics to Support Subjective Value Creation in Technical Products

Abstract

So far, bionic design has mainly been applied to support functional solutions. In recent times, subjective aspects in product quality become increasingly important to users, too. Under the aspect of targeting a sustainable value creation for users, bionic design may also help to better address users' subjective needs in product design. Therefore, a new methodology is presented. Its first step is the numeric and perception-related investigation of main geometrical criteria in object shape changes between technical solutions and their bionic models. The second step is the identification and utilization of impressions analogies between the two domains. Thus subjective similarities between the product and its bionic model are examined both in geometrical and in impressions respect in order to derive implications for the field of Emotional Bionics. The methodology is explained in detail by applying a pilot study.