Bionics message. Bionics - science inspired by nature

29.07.2020

How discoveries are made, how various inventions are created - in a word, everything, what moves humanity forward? Of course, this requires knowledge, talent, perseverance and the ability to work. But that's not all.

A real scientist is distinguished by keen observation combined with the power of creative imagination. The combination of these qualities makes it possible to create industrial analogues of natural structures.

By patents of nature

Since the 60s of the XX century, a new term has appeared - bionics, a science that uses knowledge about wildlife to solve technical problems. The importance of this science can hardly be overestimated. After all, nature creates its creations with maximum efficiency.

The simplest example of creating such a man-made analogue are Velcro and zippers used as fasteners on jackets, shoes, etc. But this simple but very convenient invention was borrowed from nature. Burdock thorns easily stick to various materials, forming a fairly strong connection, and, once on the hair, cause a lot of trouble.

Scientists have learned a huge number of interesting ideas by studying marine life:

So, honed by millennial evolution, it served as a prototype for the design of submarines and sea vessels. And the study made it possible to create a completely unique lamfo material. Sheathing of the underwater part of ships made of this material increases their speed by 15–20%.

You probably met, flattened in sea water, similar to jelly. Studying this inhabitant of the deep sea, scientists found a lot of interesting things in her. Do you know how a jellyfish moves? She pushes water out of her tentacles with force and thus moves forward. on the same principle. Incandescent gases escape from its nozzle with great speed, pushing the rocket in the opposite direction.

But the jellyfish has prepared another surprise for people. It turns out that these persons are able to "hear" the noise of an approaching storm. And before the storm they go far into the sea, so as not to be thrown ashore by the waves of the sea. Scientists managed to study this feature of jellyfish. Thanks to this discovery, the Medusa Ear device was created, which has served people very reliably ever since. It allows you to predict the approach of a storm even 12-15 hours before it begins. During this time, sailors and fishermen can prepare for a meeting with the raging elements. Thank you, medusa!
In the reservoirs of Brazil, a four-eyed fish lives. Actually, she has only two eyes, but each of them is divided into two parts. The upper half monitors the situation above the water surface, and the lower half allows you to protect yourself from predators that encroach on this bug-eyed beauty. The same principle underlies bifocal glasses. Their lenses consist of two halves with different optical powers. The upper part is used for distance vision, the lower part is for reading.
The remarkable French explorer of the deep sea, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, watched with interest the bug, which anxiously dragged an air bubble into the water. This gave the scientist the idea to create an aqualung.

The list of patents borrowed from marine life is far from exhausted, but we still have to get acquainted with interesting inventions that mankind has spied on birds and flying insects.

Watching swift swifts or majestic eagles watching their prey from a height, people dreamed of soaring calmly above the ground as well. sketched flights and, and even developed a flying machine that was not destined to take to the air.

However, ideas borrowed from nature were still used by the inventors of aircraft:

The design of the aircraft wing is as close as possible to the shape of the wings of large birds.
For a long time, testers of high-speed aircraft were faced with the phenomenon of flutter - the strongest vibration. It was possible to get rid of it due to the thickening of the leading edge of the aircraft wings. It turned out that nature had already come up with a ready-made engineering solution to this problem a long time ago - there is a similar thickening on the wings of dragonflies.
The dragonfly "inspired" the designers to create a helicopter.
It is supposed to use a live dragonfly as a drone. A “backpack” with a control system and solar panels for power will be attached to her back. In this way it will be possible to manage insects, directing them for better pollination of crops. It is not excluded their use for tracking a person.
The ability of bats to navigate using ultrasound served as a prototype for echolocation. It allows you to study the topography of the seabed, search for sunken ships, find places of accumulation of commercial fish, etc. It was even possible to design a cane for blind people, in which an ultrasound source and receiver are mounted, which greatly improves their quality of life.
She provided invaluable assistance to science. Studying one of its mysterious organs (haltere), scientists created on this principle a very important navigation device - a vibrating gyroscope.

This unattractive insect "prompted" another interesting idea. The fly's eyes allow it to take multiple images of the same object at once. This allows her to determine the speed of his movement with a great degree of accuracy. According to this principle, scientists created a device, which they called the "eye of the fly." It is now used to determine the speed of airliners.
For thousands of years, the honed ability of animals to disguise themselves and change color to match the color of the environment has been used in the development of a material - a chameleon. The electrical impulses applied to it make it possible to form a false picture on it. Military equipment covered with such material becomes invisible to drones, as it merges with the terrain.
It turns out that the idea of a binary weapon is borrowed from the bombardier beetle. Nature provided him with original weapons for self-defense. Two glands, working autonomously, produce two harmless substances that an angry bug simultaneously throws out of the abdomen. At the point of their connection, the temperature reaches 100 °C! Binary projectiles are equipped with a chamber divided by a partition into two parts. They contain two substances that do not pose any danger in isolation. But when they explode, they combine, forming the strongest poison gas.
The journey through the halls of nature's patent library draws to a close. But let's open another folder, which was previously labeled "Top Secret".

The future of bionics

In recent years, a separate section has emerged in bionics - neurobionics. He studies the similarities between computers and the nervous system of animals. One of the most important tasks of this science is to make the control of computer technology as reliable and flexible as the nervous system.

Her first successes include the creation of exoskeletons and bioprostheses that put paralyzed people on their feet. The next step is to control these devices with the power of thought. It is likely that neurobionics will become the basis for the creation of artificial intelligence.

If this message was useful to you, I would be glad to see you

Create a model in bionics- that's half the battle. To solve a specific practical problem, it is necessary not only to check the availability of model properties that are of interest to practice, but also to develop methods for calculating predetermined technical characteristics of the device, and to develop synthesis methods that ensure the achievement of the indicators required in the task.

And so many bionic models, before they receive a technical embodiment, begin their life on a computer. A mathematical description of the model is built. According to it, a computer program is compiled - bionic model. On such a computer model, it is possible to process various parameters in a short time and eliminate design flaws.

That's right, based on software modeling, as a rule, analyze the dynamics of the functioning of the model; As for the special technical construction of the model, such works are undoubtedly important, but their target load is different. The main thing in them is to find the best basis on which the necessary properties of the model can be recreated most efficiently and most accurately. Accumulated in bionics practical experience modeling extremely complex systems is of general scientific importance. A huge number of its heuristic methods, which are absolutely indispensable in works of this kind, have already become widespread for solving important problems in experimental and technical physics, economic problems, designing multistage branched communication systems, and so on.

Today, bionics has several directions.

Architectural and building bionics studies the laws of formation and structure formation of living tissues, analyzes the structural systems of living organisms on the principle of saving material, energy and ensuring reliability. Neurobionics studies the functioning of the brain, explores the mechanisms of memory. The sense organs of animals and the internal mechanisms of reaction to the environment in both animals and plants are being intensively studied.

A vivid example of architectural and construction bionics is a complete analogy of the structure of cereal stems and modern high-rise buildings. The stems of cereal plants are able to withstand heavy loads and at the same time not break under the weight of the inflorescence. If the wind bends them to the ground, they quickly restore their vertical position. What is the secret? It turns out that their structure is similar to the design of modern high-rise factory pipes - one of the latest achievements of engineering. Both designs are hollow. Sclerenchyma strands of the plant stem play the role of longitudinal reinforcement. The internodes of the stems are stiffening rings. Along the walls of the stem there are oval vertical voids. The pipe walls have the same design solution. The role of the spiral armature located at the outer side of the pipe in the stem of cereal plants is played by a thin skin. However, the engineers came to their constructive solution on their own, without "looking" into nature. The identity of the structure was revealed later.

In recent years, bionics has confirmed that most human inventions are already "patented" by nature. Such an invention of the twentieth century, like zippers and Velcro, was made on the basis of the structure of a bird's feather. Feather barbs of various orders, equipped with hooks, provide reliable grip.

Famous Spanish architects M. R. Cervera and J. Ploz, active adherents of bionics, began research on “dynamic structures” in 1985, and in 1991 organized the “Society for the Support of Innovations in Architecture”. A group under their leadership, which included architects, engineers, designers, biologists and psychologists, developed the project "Vertical Bionic Tower City". In 15 years, a tower city should appear in Shanghai (according to scientists, in 20 years the population of Shanghai can reach 30 million people). The tower city is designed for 100 thousand people, the project is based on the "principle of the construction of a tree."

The city tower will be in the form of a cypress 1128 m high with a girth at the base of 133 by 100 m, and at the widest point 166 by 133 m. The tower will have 300 floors, and they will be located in 12 vertical blocks of 80 floors. Between the quarters there are ceiling-screeds, which play the role of a supporting structure for each level-quarter. Inside the quarters - houses of different heights with vertical gardens. This carefully thought-out design is similar to the structure of the branches and the entire crown of a cypress. The tower will stand on a pile foundation according to the principle of an accordion, which does not deepen, but develops in all directions as it climbs - similar to how the root system of a tree develops. Wind vibrations of the upper floors are minimized: air easily passes through the tower structure. For facing the tower, a special plastic material will be used that imitates the porous surface of the skin. If the construction is successful, it is planned to build several more such building-cities.

In architectural and building bionics, much attention is paid to new building technologies. For example, in the field of development of efficient and waste-free building technologies, a promising direction is the creation of layered structures. The idea is borrowed from deep-sea mollusks. Their strong shells, such as those of the widespread abalone, consist of alternating hard and soft plates. When a hard plate cracks, the deformation is absorbed by the soft layer and the crack does not go any further. This technology can also be used to cover cars.

The main areas of neurobionics are the study of the nervous system of humans and animals and the modeling of nerve cells-neurons and neural networks. This makes it possible to improve and develop electronic and computer technology.

The nervous system of living organisms has a number of advantages over the most modern analogues invented by man:

Flexible perception of external information, regardless of the form in which it comes (handwriting, font, color, timbre, etc.).

High reliability: technical systems break down if one or more parts break down, and the brain remains functional even if several hundred thousand cells die.

Miniature. For example, a transistor device with the same number of elements as the human brain would occupy a volume of about 1000 m3, while our brain occupies a volume of 1.5 dm3.

Economy of energy consumption - the difference is simply obvious.

A high degree of self-organization - a quick adaptation to new situations, to changes in activity programs.

Eiffel Tower and tibia

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution, a world exhibition was organized in Paris. On the territory of this exhibition, it was planned to erect a tower that would symbolize both the greatness of the French Revolution and the latest achievements of technology. More than 700 projects were submitted to the competition, the project of bridge engineer Alexander Gustave Eiffel was recognized as the best. At the end of the 19th century, the tower, named after its creator, struck the whole world with its openwork and beauty. The 300-meter tower has become a kind of symbol of Paris. There were rumors that the tower was built according to the drawings of an unknown Arab scientist. And only after more than half a century, biologists and engineers made an unexpected discovery: the design of the Eiffel Tower exactly repeats the structure of the tibia, which easily withstands the weight of the human body. Even the angles between the bearing surfaces match. This is another prime example bionics In action.

Bionics in human life

They say that once a century a genius is born on Earth. Leonardo da Vinci was such a genius. The greatest artist, sculptor, mathematician, engineer and anatomist Leonardo da Vinci sought to find the truth, to know and describe it.

“I took nature as my mentor, the teacher of all teachers.”

Why did this great scientist take nature as his teacher?

Life in its most primitive form arose on Earth about 2 billion years ago. Merciless natural selection lasted for millions of centuries, as a result of which the strongest and most perfect survived. Borrow the best from nature to empower man first and suggested Leonardo da Vinci. In 1485, he created a mechanical aircraft - ornithoptel, the principle of which he copied from birds. And although then a person did not manage to learn how to fly, but this laid the foundation for a new science - bionics. Bionics is a symbiosis of biology and technology.

If the history of the Earth - 4.5 billion years - is presented as one day, then it turns out that a reasonable person appeared on the planet less than a minute ago. Literally fractions of a second passed, and he already imagined himself a creator and can already create no worse than nature. Until recently, when inventing something new, people did not realize that it already exists. You just need to see and apply. 99% of scientific discoveries man has spied on nature. Everything that surrounds us has its natural counterpart.

Bionics(from Βίον - living ) - applied on the application in technical devices and systems of the principles of organization, properties, functions and structures . Simply put, bionics is a connection and . Date of Birth of Bionics: September 13, 1960.Bionics has a symbol: a crossed scalpel, a soldering iron and an integral sign. This union of biology, technology and mathematics allows us to hope that the science of bionics will penetrate where no one has penetrated yet, and will see what no one has seen yet.

Man has always dreamed of conquering the sky. But it was available only to birds. And it was the birds that gave people the idea of flight.

Dreams of flying and their actual implementation are very different things. And despite the bold ideas, such as those of Leonardo da Vinci, humanity would remain chained to the earth for many centuries to come. The study of birds, the structure of their wings and tail, led to the fact that man invented the airplane. The structure of the human eye laid the foundation for the photographic lens, the structure of the sunflower inflorescence - for solar panels. Combing out the inflorescences of burdock and the hair of an owl dog after a walk, the famous designer invented Velcro fasteners. Insects gave scientists the idea of helicopters. Fish prompted the creation of submarines. MercedesBenz Corporation has developed a bionic vehicle copied from a tropical bodyfish. Despite its suitcase shape, the machine has extremely low air resistance.

We are confronted every day with bionic inventions without even knowing it. Most often, the principles adopted from nature are found in architecture. For example, in the design of the famous Eiffel Tower lies the structure of the human femur. On the head of the bone there are many reference points, thanks to them, the load on the joint is distributed evenly. This allows the curved femur to support a large body weight. The same reference points can be found at the base of the Eiffel Tower. Its design is considered an architectural benchmark for sustainability.

Another tower, Ostankinskaya, also has a natural analogue. Her slender silhouette is recognizable. The prototype of the Ostankino Tower is a stalk of wheat. Its ability not to break under the weight of the inflorescence formed the basis of the tower.

Architects are increasingly turning to the principles of the functioning of living organisms. To understand how it works, the designer has to study biology. Fish, birds, plants and even the human body become natural prototypes of architectural structures.

Bionics does not stand still. This science creates a real revolution. Ordinary observation, modeling is capable of much.My future profession is related to mechanical engineering. The engineering industry is the most robotic. For the first time its practical applicationindustrial robotsreceived thanks to the American engineers D. Devol and D. Engelberg in the late 50s and early 60s of the twentieth century. They are used to perform various technological processes in order to increase the efficiency of the enterprise.

The design of the robot may contain one or more manipulators, while the manipulator itself may have a different load capacity, positioning accuracy, degree of freedom. When creating an industrial robot, bionic models are actively used. The manipulator of an industrial robot consists of a certain number of movable links (axes) connected to each other. It is arranged on the principle of arthropod limbs. The more axes, the more versatile the design of the robot.The location and flexibility of the connection of the axes of the robot was carefully made according to the human model (connection of the joints). The axes of the manipulator are controlled by sensors. They are similar to the sense organs and react to light, position in space

Nature still keeps many mysteries, the harmony of its creations has always surprised and will continue to surprise the human world. But the question is: “Will we have time to use the remaining “patents of wildlife”? Given the rate at which plants and animals are disappearing from the face of the earth, and the statistics inexorably states: annually - one species of animals and daily - one species of plants, the question posed sounds very alarming. In this regard, the preservation of rare and endangered species of animals and plants, maintaining the environment in conditions favorable for the life of all life on Earth is an urgent problem and a guarantee of the further development of mankind.

Glazkova Nastya

From time immemorial, human thought has been looking for an answer to the question: can a person achieve the same that living nature has achieved? Can he, for example, fly like a bird or swim underwater like a fish? At first, a person could only dream about it, but soon the inventors began to apply the features of the organization of living organisms in their designs.

Download:

Preview:

Introduction……………………………………2
What is "Bionics"?.................................4
Wildlife Patents…………………9
Architectural Bionics………………….16
Neurobionics…………………………… 29
Technical bionics……………………...37
Conclusion…………………………………39
Literature………………………………….40

Bird - acting according to a mathematical law

a tool that is within the power of man to make

With all his moves...

Leonardo da Vinci.

Another major Greek philosopher, the materialist Democritus (circa 460-370 BC) wrote:

“From animals, we have learned the most important things by imitation. We are the apprentices of the spider in weaving and tailoring, the apprentices of the swallow in building dwellings...”

After reading the statement of Democritus, I thought about what a person took from nature to improve his life.

A characteristic feature of modern science is the intensive interpenetration of ideas, theoretical approaches and methods inherent in different disciplines. This is especially true for physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics. Thus, physical research methods are widely used in the study of living nature, and the uniqueness of this object brings to life new, more advanced methods of physical research.

For example:

Everyone knows that a dragonfly is capable of hovering in the air, moving sideways or moving backward sharply. And she does all the maneuvers at high speed. However, few people know that the lift force of a dragonfly is three times greater than that of a modern aircraft. Using the dragonfly's aerodynamic features, scientists believe that it is possible to significantly improve the efficiency and safety of aircraft. Aircraft designed with dragonfly capabilities will be able to make tighter turns and be less susceptible to the gusts of wind that unfortunately still cause crashes.
Does a rattlesnake detect a difference in temperature equal to a thousandth of a degree?
...Some fish feel a hundred billionth of an odorous substance in one liter of water? It's like detecting the presence of 30 g of such a substance in the entire Aral Sea.
...Rats sense radiation?
...Certain types of microbes react even to a slight change in radiation?
...Does an ordinary black cockroach see radiation?
... A mosquito develops a specific pressure of up to 1 billion kg / cm2 when bitten? A comparison with a 16 kg weight with a base of 4 cm2 and a specific pressure of only 4 kg/cm2 shows how great the "mosquito force" is.
…Deep-sea fish pick up a change in current density less than one hundred billionth of an ampere?
... The Nile fish mormirus uses electromagnetic vibrations to “feel” its way through the water?

Isn't it an amazing list? And it can be continued again and again with no less amazing examples. Having learned all this, could a person pass by a tempting idea - to create with his own hands what nature has already created?

My research goal:Find out how man uses the "natural" inventions of animals and plants to create artificial devices for the benefit of man.

What is "Bionics"?

The progenitor of bionics is Leonardo da Vinci.

His drawings and scheme of aircraft

Were based on the structure of the wings of birds

Drawings by Leonardo da Vinci.

In our time, according to the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci, the ornithopter was repeatedly modeled.

In 1960, the first symposium on bionics took place in Daytona (USA), which formalized the birth of a new science and the name proposed by American engineer Jack Steele.

Biology + electronics = Bionics.

Bionics (from the Greek word "bion" - an element of life, literally - living), a science bordering between biology and technology, solving engineering problems based on modeling the structure and life of organisms.

Bionics motto: « Living prototypes are the key to new technology»

Bionics there is a symbol: crossed scalpel, soldering iron and integral sign. This union of biologist, technician and mathematician allows us to hope that science bionics penetrates where no one has yet penetrated, and to see what no one has yet seen.

Wildlife Patents.

It is known that plants are “green filters” that purify air and water from harmful impurities. They replenish the atmosphere with oxygen, humidify and ionize the air, reduce the number of microbes.

Chlorophytum is a natural conditioner.

Household and industrial electric air cleaners have been created, similar in function to natural green filters.

Trees are powerful plant pumps. Of great importance for the movement of water are root pressure and transpiration (evaporation of water by leaves), as well as the adhesion force between water molecules and vessel walls.

Just as a tree provides itself with nutrients and moisture through its roots, so people try to extract minerals from the earth.

The hydrometallurgical method is simple and economical compared to the fire method (in blast furnaces). Sodium carbonate is pumped into uranium ore deposits. Then the liquid mixture containing uranium is sucked out of the shaft through hoses, like a plant with roots. After settling, uranium is obtained in a purer form than mined in other ways. Uranium is also extracted from copper ores, in which it is contained in very small quantities.

Hydrometallurgy is used in the processing of complex ores and ore concentrates.

Architectural bionics.

Living nature ceases to be a mysterious phenomenon. One of the main generalizations of modern biology is that all phenomena of life obey the laws of physics and chemistry and can be explained using these laws at various levels: molecular, during the formation of crystals, the formation of mechanical (structural) tissues and supporting skeletons, the general system forms and ecological connections. Living nature and architecture develop in the same biophysical conditions of the earth and space spheres and obey the laws of gravity, inertia, thermodynamics. Their forms are determined by the similar action of temperature and humidity factors, the insolation regime, the cyclical nature of meteorological phenomena, etc. The construction activity of living organisms, as well as in architecture, is associated with the creation of building materials and a certain order (technology) of work.

Architecture, which in the course of its development has become a great social phenomenon, is aimed at the same time to satisfy not only social, but also biological human needs. And here, through the study of the biological organization of man, architecture receives special impulses for shaping, the significance of which increases in the conditions of the scientific and technological revolution, the growing requirements for saving public energy and the intensification of human labor.

The experience of world architecture of the last three decades confirms that architectural bionics is capable of solving a wide variety of architectural issues, both in their separate interpretation and in combination. These include: clarification of the general theoretical issues of architecture relating to the fundamental aspects of its development; improvement of systems theory; further directions of differentiation of the functional structure of architectural forms and architectural space; deepening compositional techniques - tectonics, proportions, balance, symmetry, rhythms, light, color, etc.; solution to the problem of creating a favorable microclimate v buildings and other architectural formations; rationalization of existing structures and the introduction of new structural forms; development of industrialization of production on the basis of unification, standardization and prefabrication of architectural and structural elements; creation of building materials with new effective complex structural and heat-insulating properties; further development of the technology for the production of structures and organization of the production of the announcement of buildings; improvement of the methodology of experimental design on physical models, etc.

Thus, the results of research conducted in the field of architectural bionics turn out to be useful in solving the problems of social and aesthetic improvement of architecture in its most diverse typological sectors: in residential complexes, in public and industrial buildings and structures, in urban planning. Of course, this does not mean that she v able to resolve all these issues to the end. No, it does not replace or exclude existing methods and is only ready to help their further progress. However, in some areas it can have a revolutionary impact. Architectural bionics, therefore, is of great importance in the further development of not only practice, but also architectural science.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARCHITECTURAL BIONICS

It is interesting to trace how the historical prerequisites for the formation of the theory and practice of architectural bionics were formed, confirming its legitimacy, the inevitability of development and at the same time shedding light on the formation of those of its directions that have been developed in our time.

Throughout history, man in his architectural and construction activities consciously or intuitively turned to wildlife, which helped him solve a variety of problems.

South American Indian hut and termite mound; bird's nest weaver; African adobe house

Of course, man did not begin by imitation. Most likely, we can talk about the forms of labor construction activity that are organically inherent in him. Man, as is known, gradually developed from the most ancient mammalian primates to the state of "homo sapiens". But, apparently, the gradual removal of man in time from his animal ancestors, the independent development of the human branch, the formation of activity according to the principle “I myself” smoothed out the organic immediacy of animal origin and transferred it to the level of more or less meaningful imitation of living nature, building activities of living organisms.

The design of the capitals of the columns of the temples of Ancient Egypt by analogy with the forms of lotus and papyrus flowers: from focusing on the decorative side(1-4) before tectonic development(5-6)

Japanese folk architecture. Section of a building resembling a spruce

Figurative representation of wildlife space in the interior of a Gothic cathedral: the cathedral in Amiens (France) and an alley in the forest (photo by Yu. Lebedev)

The unity of forms of architecture and the surrounding nature. Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery near Zvenigorod near Moscow (XV-XUM centuries) (photo by Yu. Lebedev)

Radio and television tower in Moscow, 1922. Ing. V.G. Shukhov. General view and inside view (photo by L.V. Kuchinsky)

Bionics think this way. When faced with an engineering or design problem, they look for a solution in the "science base" of unlimited size that belongs to animals and plants.

Gustave Eiffel, who in 1889 built a drawing of the Eiffel Tower, did something similar. This structure is considered one of the earliest clear examples of the use of bionics in engineering.

The design of the Eiffel Tower is based on the scientific work of the Swiss anatomy professor Hermann Von Meyer. Forty years before the construction of the Parisian engineering miracle, the professor studied the bone structure of the femoral head at the point where it bends and enters the joint at an angle. And at the same time, for some reason, the bone does not break under the weight of the body.

Von Meyer discovered that the head of the bone is covered with an intricate network of miniature bones, thanks to which the load is redistributed in an amazing way over the bone. This network had a strict geometric structure, which the professor documented.

In 1866, Swiss engineer Carl Cullman provided a theoretical basis for von Meyer's discovery, and 20 years later, natural load distribution using curved calipers was used by Eiffel.

This process of using the laws of shaping living nature changed its character and boundaries depending on objective and subjective factors.

It is possible to single out three chronological stages preceding the modern one and corresponding to changes in the essence of this process.

The first stage - the most ancient, going back into the depths of history, can be considered the stage of spontaneous use of constructive and functional-spatial means of wildlife and the results of the "construction" activity of animals, birds and insects in the creation of nest shelters, huts, dolmens or "public buildings", which there could be menhirs, cromlechs, etc. It is difficult to say to what extent the forms borrowed from nature were comprehended aesthetically. Undoubtedly, only one thing: they were, above all, functional (at their level and in their own way). Along with the function, the natural form was also mechanically introduced into artificial structures, so many ancient human structures - nests, huts, etc. - it is often difficult to distinguish any animals or insects from buildings, such as termites.

The second stage - from the beginning of the formation of architecture as an art and until about the middle of the XIX century. Despite the great length of this period in time, all its possible intermediate steps are united by one basis - the principle of imitation of nature. This meant mainly the use of the forms of nature for pictorial and decorative purposes and the copying of the external forms of nature. An example is the columns of the Egyptian temples at Luxor and Karnak; Corinthian and Ionic capitals of columns of Greek temples; Renaissance palazzo and classicism palaces; figurative and artistic methods of shaping in Russian churches; the capitals of the columns and their entire structure as an imitation of the forest motif in Gothic cathedrals; folk Japanese architecture, etc.

Speaking about this period, one cannot deny the interpretation of some constructive-tectonic principles of living nature. For example, column tectonics, with the periodicity of its diameters along height, interprets the tectonics of a tree trunk; the flutes of the columns are similar to the fluted stems of plants that are encountered, giving them additional strength. The logic of the transition from one form to another in the constructive units of orders of Greek temples repeats, in essence, the principles of changing forms along the vertical of a plant stem, tree trunk, animal skeletons; the ribs of the coverings of Gothic temples perform the same constructive function as the nervature (veins) of a green leaf of a tree, etc.

Natural tectonics in architectural forms is not always present spontaneously, as evidenced by the statements of Vitruvius, Alberti, Palladio and others. But the expressed thoughts regarding design solutions, for the most part, due to limited technical capabilities, could not be put into practice. It was easier to make from stone or clay a form similar to nature, for artistic purposes, than to create a constructive system similar to natural.

The third stage - the end of the 19th - the beginning of the 20th century, which found its expression in the architecture of "modern". At this stage, natural principles simultaneously, although to varying degrees, manifested themselves in functional-structural, constructive and decorative solutions.

The rapid development of biology and the unprecedented success of building technology (for example, the invention of reinforced concrete and the beginning of the intensive use of metal structures, ceramics, etc.) had a great influence on the use of natural resources at this stage.

It is in modern architecture, as recent studies of Russian modernity have shown, that the functional and structural development of architectural forms began on the principle of adaptability to the increasingly complex tasks of architecture and the environment. It was Art Nouveau that opened the way to the most diverse interpretations of architectural forms, not connected by any established rigid system, similar to the classical one. Here, too, voluntarily or involuntarily, the natural principle of the diversity of forms was embodied with their "style" unity. It was in Art Nouveau that new spatial structures, reminiscent of natural ones, found their application. And finally, the use of bioforms for decorative purposes.

The achievements of biology in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the complex, systemic principles of the development of wildlife, were also reflected in such a wide field of activity as urban planning. It implies an attempt to put into practice the theory of the "garden city" by E. Howard in England, Germany / Russia, etc. The growth of industrial cities made us think about the problem of saving urban areas, their systematic formation, the search for measures to prevent chaos, the solution of issues of transport, the location of public centers, etc. And here, too, there were attempts to appeal to wildlife. At the end of the XIX - beginning of the XX century. many similar proposals have been made: T. Fritsch - a city developing like a mollusk shell in a spiral, 1896; projects of Sant Elia, E. Gleden and others.

Famous Spanish architects M.R. Servera and H. Ploz, active adherents of bionics, began research on "dynamic structures" in 1985, and in 1991 organized the "Society for the Support of Innovations in Architecture". A group under their leadership, which included architects, engineers, designers, biologists and psychologists, developed the project "Vertical Bionic Tower City". In 15 years, a tower city should appear in Shanghai (according to scientists, in 20 years the population of Shanghai can reach 30 million people). The tower city is designed for 100 thousand people, the project is based on the "principle of the construction of a tree."

Neurobionics.

The nervous system of living organisms has a number of advantages over the most modern analogues invented by man:

1) A very perfect and flexible perception of external information, regardless of the form in which it comes (for example, from handwriting, font, text color, drawings, timbre and other features of the voice, etc.).

2) High reliability, significantly exceeding the reliability of technical systems (the latter fail when one or more parts are broken in the circuit; when millions of nerve cells out of the billions that make up the brain die, the system remains operational).

3) Miniature elements of the nervous system: with the number of elements 10 10 - 10 11 human brain volume 1.5 dm 3 . A transistor device with the same number of elements would take up a volume of several hundred, or even thousands m 3.

4) Efficiency of work: energy consumption by the human brain does not exceed several tens Tue.

5 ) A high degree of self-organization of the nervous system, rapid adaptation to new situations, to changes in activity programs.

Attempts to model the nervous system of humans and animals began with the construction of analogues of neurons and their networks. Various types of artificial neurons have been developed. Artificial "nerve networks" have been created that are capable of self-organization, i.e., returning to stable states when they are taken out of balance. Study ofmemory and other properties of the nervous system - the main way to create "thinking" machines to automate complex production and management processes. The study of the mechanisms that ensure the reliability of the nervous system is very important for technology, because. the solution of this primary technical problem will provide the key to ensuring the reliability of a number of technical systems (for example, aircraft equipment containing 10 5 electronic elements).

Research of analyzer systems. Eachanalyzer animals and humans, perceiving various stimuli (light, sound, etc.), consists of a receptor (or sensory organ), pathways and a brain center. These are very complex and sensitive formations, unparalleled among technical devices. Miniature and reliable sensors, which are not inferior in sensitivity, for example, to the eye, which reacts to single quanta of light, the temperature-sensitive organ of a rattlesnake, which distinguishes temperature changes of 0.001 ° C, or the electrical organ of fish, which perceives potentials in fractions of a microvolt, could significantly speed up the movement technical progress and scientific research.

Through the most important analyzer - visual - most of the information enters the human brain. From an engineering point of view, the following features of the visual analyzer are of interest: a wide range of sensitivity - from single quanta to intense light fluxes; change in clarity of vision from the center to the periphery; continuous tracking of moving objects; adaptation to a static image (to view a stationary object, the eye makes small oscillatory movements with a frequency of 1-150 Hz ) . For technical purposes, the development of an artificial retina is of interest. (The retina is a very complex formation; for example, the human eye has 10 8 photoreceptors that communicate with the brain via 10 6 ganglion cells.) One of the variants of the artificial retina (similar to the retina of a frog's eye) consists of 3 layers: the first one includes 1800 photoreceptor cells, the second - "neurons" that perceive positive and inhibitory signals from photoreceptors and determine the contrast of the image; in the third layer there are 650 "cells" of five different types. These studies make it possible to create tracking devices for automatic recognition. The study of the sensation of the depth of space when seeing with one eye (monocular vision) made it possible to create a determinant of the depth of space for the analysis of aerial photographs.

Work is underway to imitate the auditory analyzer of humans and animals. This analyzer is also very sensitive - people with acute hearing perceive sound when the pressure in the ear canal fluctuates about 10 micron / m 2 (0.0001 dyne / cm 2). It is also technically interesting to study the mechanism of transmission of information from the ear to the auditory region of the brain. They study the olfactory organs of animals in order to create an "artificial nose" - an electronic device for analyzing low concentrations of odorous substances in air or water [some fish feel the concentration of a substance in several mg / m 3 (mcg / l )]. Many organisms have such analyzer systems that humans do not have. So, for example, a grasshopper on the 12th segment of the antennae has a tubercle that perceives infrared radiation, sharks and rays have channels on the head and in the front of the body that perceive changes in temperature by 0.1 ° C. Snails and ants are sensitive to radioactive radiation. Fish, apparently, perceive stray currents due to the electrification of the air (this is evidenced by the departure of fish to a depth before a thunderstorm). Mosquitoes move in closed paths within an artificial magnetic field. Some animals feel well infra- and ultrasonic vibrations. Some jellyfish react to infrasonic vibrations that occur before a storm. Bats emit ultrasonic vibrations in the range of 45-90 kHz But the moths they feed on have organs that are sensitive to these waves. Owls also have an "ultrasound receiver" to detect bats.

It is likely that the device is not only technical analogues of the sense organs of animals, but also technical systems with biologically sensitive elements (for example, the eyes of a bee - for detecting ultraviolet rays and the eyes of a cockroach - for detecting infrared rays).

Of great importance in technical design are the so-called.perceptrons - "self-learning" systems that perform the logical functions of identification and classification. They correspond to the brain centers where the processing of received information takes place. Most of the research is devoted to the recognition of visual, sound or other images, i.e., the formation of a signal or code that uniquely corresponds to an object. Recognition should be carried out regardless of changes in the image (for example, its brightness, color, etc.) while maintaining its main value. Such self-organizing cognition devices work without prior programming with gradual training carried out by a human operator; it presents images, signals errors, reinforces correct responses. The input device of the perceptron is its perceiving, receptor field; when recognizing visual objects, this is a set of photocells.

After a period of "learning", the perceptron can make independent decisions. On the basis of perceptrons, devices are created for reading and recognizing text, drawings, analyzing oscillograms, radiographs, etc.

The study of detection, navigation and orientation systems in birds, fish and other animals is also one of the important tasks of bionics. miniature and accurate perceiving and analyzing systems that help animals navigate, find prey, migrate thousands of km, can help improve the instruments used in aviation, maritime affairs, etc. Ultrasonic ranging has been found in bats and a number of marine animals (fish, dolphins). Sea turtles have been known to swim several thousand feet into the sea. km and return to lay eggs always to the same place on the shore. It is believed that they have two systems: long-range orientation by the stars and short-range orientation by smell (the chemistry of coastal waters). Butterfly male small nocturnal peacock eye searches for a female at a distance of up to 10 km. Bees and wasps are well oriented by the sun. The study of these numerous and varied detection systems has much to offer technology.

So, the American company Orbital Research, a developer of navigation systems, has begun work on an intuitive sensor system that will avoid collisions between cars on the ground and aircraft in the air.

To design such a system, scientists were prompted by the behavior of cockroaches at the moment when they are trying to catch them. The nervous system of cockroaches constantly monitors everything, even the smallest changes that occur nearby, and when danger arises, it reacts quickly, clearly and, most importantly, correctly. A working model of a radio-controlled car with "cockroach brains" has already been created.

Scientists from the Australian National University have studied in detail the flight of a dragonfly. They concluded that "despite their very small brains, these insects are capable of performing fast and precise aerial maneuvers that require stability and collision avoidance." They want to use new aircraft designed in the "image and likeness" to study the atmospheres of the planets of the solar system.

And here are some other unique ideas that nature "throws up". As it turned out, the web is five times stronger than steel and 30% more elastic than nylon. From the new material "borrowed" from spiders, scientists propose to make seat belts, weightless wires, bulletproof fabrics, medical threads, car tires and even artificial ligaments, because the web protein is practically not rejected by the body, as it has a predominantly protein base and has unique properties. : it is extremely strong, light, does not collapse under the influence of the environment for a long time, is almost not susceptible to damage by microorganisms and fungi. But since it is rather problematic to obtain a natural web in the proper amount, the geneticists of the Canadian biotechnology company Nexia implanted the genes responsible for the synthesis of the web in spiders into Nigerian goats. And they began to give milk containing the same proteins as the web. Raw materials are extracted from milk to obtain threads and heavy-duty silk is woven.

In turn, scientists from Bell Laboratories, a research center of Lucent Technologies, discovered that calcite crystals that form the skeleton of starfish of the class brittle stars (serpenttails) have unique functions: they not only serve as shells for brittle stars, but also perform the functions of optical receptors for the compound eyes. According to scientists, the study of this new biomaterial can contribute to the improvement of the design of optical elements for telecommunication networks. "Before our eyes is a great example of what we can learn from nature," said Bella Labs vice president Federico Capasso. "These small calcite crystals are almost perfect microlenses, far better than what we can produce today."

And here is an example that can be taken from another invertebrate. In one of the laboratories of the US Department of Energy, they study the mixture that bivalve molluscs produce to tightly stick to the bottoms of ships. Based on the research, a new adhesive is being made that will help glue oxidized metal plates from which important computer components are assembled, or even replace surgical sutures on the human body after surgery. However, it takes 10,000 shellfish to produce just 1 gram of protein glue. In this regard, scientists are considering the next step in their research - the implantation of the desired mollusk gene into a plant.

At the center of nanotechnology in Manchester, scientists were working on a "problem" set by a primitively organized group of lizards (geckos), which can move on almost any surface. The results of the research showed that on the paws of the gecko there are a number of keratin hairs about 200 nm in size. Capillary forces help the gecko crawl on wet surfaces, while van der Waals forces help it crawl on dry surfaces. Each hair is bound to the surface with a force of 10-7 N. Due to the high density of hairs on the legs of the gecko, the strength of the connection is greatly increased.

The Manchester team decided to continue their research by trying to construct the same array of nanofibers. It is possible that the mass production of "gecko legs" is possible with the help of not so expensive technologies, such as, for example, electron-beam lithography. If you turn your attention to other vertebrates - whales and dolphins, you will find that they are "packed" in a tissue like a very elastic rubber, which consists of a complex network of collagen fibers. This discovery makes it possible to start the production of its synthetic counterpart. If you put this wonderful material on sea vessels and submarines, then their streamlining will increase, fuel consumption will decrease, and stability will increase.

But for the 2004 Olympics, a new "shark" suit Fastskin FSII of the American company Speedo was specially created. Its surface is lined with hundreds of tiny teeth. This "skin" was spied on a shark and additionally calculated on a computer. It reduces friction against water, which the company claims reaches 29% of the total resistance, and not 8-10%, as previously thought, reportsMembrana.ru. As a result - a reduction of 4% in the total resistance to movement and a corresponding increase in the speed of movement in the water. For professional sports, this win can be critical.

The military did not stand aside either. For example, Professor Howie Chozet is developing a wheeled robot with the likeness of an elephant trunk with the money of the military, the US Navy is funding the creation of lobster robots, and the Defense Advanced Research Agency is paying for the construction of mechanical insects.

Technical bionics.

The study of the hydrodynamic features of the structure of whales and dolphins helped to create a special plating for the underwater part of the ships, which provides an increase in speed by 20-25% with the same engine power. This skin is called laminflo and, like the skin of a dolphin, it is not wetted and has an elastic-elastic structure, which eliminates turbulent eddies and provides sliding with minimal resistance. The same example can be given from the history of aviation. For a long time, the problem of high-speed aviation was flutter - sudden and violent vibrations of the wings that occur at a certain speed. Because of these vibrations, the plane fell apart in the air in a few seconds. After numerous accidents, the designers found a way out - the wings began to be made with a thickening at the end. After some time, similar thickenings were found at the ends of the dragonfly's wings. In biology, these thickenings are called pterostigmas. New principles of flight, wheelless motion, construction of bearings, etc., are being developed on the basis of the study of the flight of birds and insects, the movement of jumping animals, and the structure of joints.

Created at the Xerox Research Center in Palo Alto, the new printed circuit has no moving parts (it consists of 144 sets of 4 nozzles each)

In the AirJet device, the developers copied the behavior of a termite swarm, where each termite makes independent decisions, but at the same time the swarm moves towards a common goal, such as building a nest.

Designed in Palo Alto, the printed circuit is equipped with many air nozzles, each of which operates independently, without CPU commands, but at the same time they contribute to the overall task of advancing the paper. There are no moving parts in the device, which makes it possible to reduce the cost of production. Each printed circuit contains 144 sets of 4 nozzles directed in different directions, as well as 32,000 optical sensors and microcontrollers.

But the most devoted adherents of bionics are engineers who are engaged in the construction of robots. Today, there is a very popular point of view among developers that in the future robots will be able to operate effectively only if they are as similar as possible to people. Scientists and engineers proceed from the fact that they will have to function in urban and domestic conditions, that is, in a "human" interior - with stairs, doors and other obstacles of a specific size. Therefore, at a minimum, they must correspond to a person in size and in terms of the principles of movement. In other words, the robot must have legs (wheels, caterpillars, etc. are not suitable for the city). But from whom to copy the design of the legs, if not from animals?

Scientists from Stanford University have advanced the farthest in the direction of creating upright bipedal robots. They have been experimenting for almost three years with a miniature six-legged robot, a hexapod, built from a study of a cockroach's locomotion system.

A miniature, about 17 cm long, six-legged robot (hexapod) from Stanford University is already running at a speed of 55 cm/sec.

The first hexapod was designed on January 25, 2000. Now the design runs very fast - at a speed of 55 cm (more than three own lengths) per second - and also successfully overcomes obstacles.

Conclusion.

Nature opens up endless opportunities for engineers and scientists to borrow technologies and ideas. Previously, people were not able to see what is literally in front of their noses, but modern technical tools and computer modeling help to understand at least a little how the world works and try to copy some details from it for your own needs.

In the past, the relationship of man to nature was consumerist. Technology exploited and destroyed natural resources. But gradually people began to treat nature more carefully, trying to take a closer look at its methods in order to use them wisely in technology. These methods can serve as a model for the development of environmentally friendly industrial products.

Nature as a standard - this is bionics.

Bibliography.

1. Bionics at school. Ts.N. Feodosievich, G.I. Ivanovich, Kiev, 1990.

2. Living instruments. Yu.G. Simvkov, M., 1986.

3. Secrets of bionics. I.I.Garmash, Kiev, 1985.

4. Modeling in biology, trans. from English, ed. N. A. Bernstein, M., 1963.

5. Issues of bionics. Sat. st., resp. ed. M. G. Gaaze-Rapoport, M., 1967.

7. L. P. Kraizmer and V. P. Sochivko, Bionika, 2nd ed., M., 1968.

Internet resources

http://www.studik.ru

http://www.BankReferatov.ru

http://www.bestreferat.rureferat-42944.html

http://referat.ru/pub/item/9920

http://www.bestreferat.ru/referat-42944.html

Bionics is a science that studies wildlife in order to use the knowledge gained in practical human activities. Problems of bionics: the study of the regularities of the structure and function of individual parts of living organisms (nervous system, analyzers, wings, skin) in order to create on this basis a new type of computers, locators, aircraft, swimming apparatus, etc.; the study of bioenergetics to create economical engines like a muscle; study of the processes of biosynthesis of substances with the aim of developing the corresponding branches of chemistry. Bionics is closely connected with technical (electronics, communications, maritime affairs, etc.) and natural sciences (, medicine) disciplines, as well as with cybernetics (see).

Bionics (English bionics, from bion - a living being, organism; Greek Bioo - I live) is a science that studies wildlife in order to use the knowledge gained in practical human activities.

The term bionics first appeared in 1960, when experts from various fields gathered at a symposium in Daytona (USA) put forward the slogan: "Living prototypes are the key to new technology." Bionics was a kind of bridge that connected biology with mathematics, physics, chemistry and technology. One of the most important goals of bionics is to establish analogies between the physicochemical and informational processes encountered in technology and the corresponding processes in living nature. A bionic specialist is attracted by the whole variety of "technical ideas" developed by living nature over many millions of years of evolution. A special place among the tasks of bionics is occupied by the development and design of control and communication systems based on the use of knowledge from biology. This is bionics in the narrow sense of the word. Bionics is of great importance for cybernetics, radio electronics, aeronautics, biology, medicine, chemistry, materials science, construction and architecture, etc. The tasks of bionics also include the development of biological methods of mining, technologies for the production of complex substances of organic chemistry, building materials and coatings that uses wildlife. Bionics teaches the art of rational copying of living nature, finding technical conditions for the appropriate use of biological objects, processes and phenomena.

One of the possible ways here is functional (mathematical or software) modeling, which consists in studying the block diagram of the process, the functions of the object, the numerical characteristics of these functions, their purpose and changes over time. This approach makes it possible to study the process of interest by mathematical means, and to carry out the technical implementation of the model when, in principle, its effectiveness has been established and it remains to check the economic, energy and other possibilities of constructing such a model using the available technical means. There is another way - physico-chemical modeling, when a specialist in the field of bionics studies biochemical and biophysical processes in order to study the principles of transformation (including decomposition and synthesis) of substances occurring in a living organism. This path most of all adjoins chemical and technological problems and opens up new opportunities in the development of energy and polymer chemistry. The third approach developed by bionics is the direct use of living systems and biological mechanisms in technical systems. This approach is usually called the inverse modeling method, since in this case a bionic specialist seeks the possibilities and conditions for adapting living systems to solve purely engineering problems, in other words, he tries to simulate a technical device or process on a biological object. Emerged in response to the demands of practice, bionics served as the beginning of research based on the application of biological knowledge in all areas of technology. Its main result is the establishment of the first ways for an ever greater technical development of biology.