Technology solves problems; it also creates them. These contradictory statements might shed some light on our own relationship with technology and how we grapple with its pros and cons. I am fascinated with technology and the infinite possibilities it offers. At the same time, technology is the main factor contributing to an unsustainable planet. Biomimicry however, might allow us to have our cake and eat it too, to an extent.
Biomimicry is a design method which accurately models and imitates natural systems. From shark skin to bacteria networks, biomimicry is working to understand nature and utilize that knowledge to create next-gen technology. Perhaps the most valuable aspect of this method is the insight it provides into sustainability.
Nature has been adapting for billions of years to become near perfectly attuned to its environment, but technology has not. We have seen countless examples of how our technology has not only fallen short of our visions, but has also been problematically wasteful and inefficient. Biomimicry is where nature meets technology. The answers to many complex problems already have observable solutions, and finally we have advanced to the point where we can imitate the plants, animals, and networks which have mastered these problems.
The Eastgate Centre located in Harare, Zimbabwe is a large office building/shopping center built by Mick Pearce. What makes this building unique is that it remains cool with no air conditioning and consumes only 10% of the resources that a normal building would. Through studying the micro-structure of termite mounds in Africa, scientists discovered that these mounds were able to provide a nearly constant temperature and humidity. After scanning the mounds and creating 3-D models of these structures, Mick Pearce imitated characteristics of the termite mounds in his design of the Eastgate Centre.
Something interesting to note is the Eastgate Centre’s design will likely only work in Zimbabwe or Africa. The reason for the design’s effectiveness being limited to its locale is due to natural diversity. The termite mounds in Africa are perfectly attuned to their environment. Just like all nature, biomimicry is not standardized; it is diverse. In other words, neither the termite mound nor the Eastgate Centre would be nearly as effective in South America because the design is not naturally adapted to that specific environment. If these buildings were placed throughout the world without adaptation, it would be obviously inefficient.
This means big changes in the way we develop technology. Generally, we have standardized technology to reduce production costs, make compatibility simpler, and of course to maximize profits. Diversity, however, might be the new standard for the way we develop technology in order to become more efficient.
The next example of biomimicry demonstrates the surprising extent to which nature can effect technology. When analyzed closely, shark skin has a micro-pattern texture which is so small, it prevents the attachment of bacteria to its surface. Since the texture offers no viable surface area for a bacteria to latch on to, shark skin provides easily sterilized surfaces. This discovery is a breakthrough in the medical industry considering the 1.7 million hospital-acquired infections each year in the U.S. alone.
Sharklet Technologies, a business operating out of Aurora, CO, is among the first to try and bring this technology to medical centers worldwide. They state: “Sharklet is the world’s first technology to inhibit bacterial growth through pattern alone.” (http://sharklet.com/) Using patterns to prevent bacterial growth? Its kind of like magic, except its science.
Biomimicry is a concept, but there is also currently an institute which is reaching out globally to generate solutions via crowd-sourcing and ideas generated from researchers, students, companies…; its for everyone really. The Biomimicry Institute facilitates goal-oriented thinking which leads to holistic research, cooperation, and scientific breakthroughs. Holistic and goal-oriented thinking, as opposed to profit-oriented design, reduces the chance of solving one problem while creating another. This approach could very well be the next step in the evolution of business and human behavior. The realization of biomimicry has taught us that its principles are not specifically “design” principles, it can be applied to abstract concepts like economy and behavior.
We are beginning to realize that nature has the most resourceful economies, the most efficient distribution networks, and the most sustainable energy practices. If we can harness this knowledge and apply it to our own powerful technologies, civilization might just be able to clean up the mess of the industrial age and begin planning for the next 6,000 years of civilization on earth.
Sources:
http://www.asknature.org/product/373ec79cd6dba791bc00ed32203706a1