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ENGINEERING TRIPOS PART IIB – 2012/2013

Module 4G4 - Biomimetics

Leader:	Dr M Oyen (mlo29@eng)
Timing:	Lent Term
Prerequisites:	none
Structure:	16 lectures + Group project work
Assessment:	*Material / Format / Timing / Marks* Project / 100% Coursework with marks as detailed below / Dossier due at start of following (Lent) Term

AIMS

To develop an understanding the ways engineers adopt and adapt ideas from nature and make new engineering entities.

Further details and online resources

LECTURE SYLLABUS

Introduction and Project assignment ( M. Oyen, CUED) (1L)

Biomimetic Materials (M. Oyen, CUED) (3L)

Protein based structural materials

1°, 2°, 3°, 4° structures
folding, weak bonding, hydration
interactions with sugars, lipids

Biomineralisation

Biosilification, calcium carbonates, calcium phosphates

Composite mechanics applied to natural materials

Biomimetic pattern formation (U. Steiner, Physics) (2L)

Lotus leaves and self-cleaning surfaces
Moth’s eyes and anti-reflecting materials

Biomimetic adhesion and adhesives (W. Federle, Zoology) (4L)

Attachment devices and mechanisms in nature
Approaches to develop biomimetic adhesives

Biomimetic flight (Prof.H.Babinsky) (2L)

The fluid mechanics of animal flight
Hovering and gliding
Machines that fly

COURSEWORK

Students will work in groups of 3-4 on a biomimetics design portfolio for one specific case from any of the following: biomimetic materials (e.g. bone, shell); natural structures (e.g. photonic crystals, lotus paint, adhesives); or robots that swim, fly, or crawl like creatures. The marking will be as follows:

20% on a group mid-term presentation of the selected project and literature review (occupying the remaining 4 lecture slots)

80% on an individual 15-20 page design dossier covering: introduction to the problem, how nature does it “better,” literature review of engineering biomimetics approaches, a detailed analysis of the selected solution including quantitative comparisons and calculations, and a feasibility assessment for the proposed solution. The coversheet for the dossier will include a description of each student's selfassessment of their contribution to the group and a peer grade for participation by each group member

OBJECTIVES

By the end of the course students should be able to:

Understand how scientists are borrowing from nature across many different fields of engineering, with indepth understanding on one topic (project)
Identify new possibilities for biomimesis in design
Learn how to read the current biomimetics literature

REFERENCES

Please see the Booklist for Group G Courses for references for this module.

Last updated: June 2012

teaching-office@eng.cam.ac.uk