Mother Nature's Design Workshop

abb_road writes "Scientists creating new surveillance and defense technologies are studying the insect world for inspiration. Biomimetic researchers working on devices ranging from 360 degree lenses to mine-disabling robots are using biological principals as the backbone of their work. From the article: 'The tried-and-true designs of many insects are the product of millions of years of evolution. Even so, they are not perfect models. Natural selection isn't just a matter of physiological perfection, but how an organism's traits suit it for a particular environment, scientists say. For this reason, Bandyopadhyay stresses it is important not to just copy nature's work, but to take the best parts of it and apply it elsewhere.'"

Comments

Video Games?

[neonprimetime]

How do scientists find the inspiration for the latest in surveillance and defense technologies?

I honestly thought it woulda been the latest video games ... not insects.

Limited supply

[SEWilco]

using biological principals

Are there enough schools who don't need principals to provide enough principals for these experiments?

Re:Limited supply

[Overzeetop]

Yeah, but the researchers don't get attached to them like they do with cute furry animals. The same has been shown to be true when using lawyers in experimental work.

Yes, but...

[ettlz]

...is it an intelligent design workshop?

Bandyopaddywha?

[Malnathor]

His name has evolved into something unpronounceable.

And you thought Vista was overdue.

[Anonymous Coward]

Frickin' mother nature takes five billion years to get a working prototype out the door.

*Warning! Creationism assumed below!*

[Morosoph]

Remember that evolution is simply random mutations. The most successful being the smallest and useful changes. Just because some is successful for an organism in no way means we can adapt that into our technology. I find it interesting to look to random mutations for inspiration but a possible pit fall if you're relying on that for innovation such as the early attempts at flight.

This imperfection proves that evolution is false. There is no "nearly right" when dealing with absolutes!!1!one1!

Robinsects?

[JoshDM]

I, for one, welcome our new robot insect overlords!

Re:Flight

[misanthrope101]

The greatest honor we can give God is to look at his creation and be inspired to imitate it, since it reflects God's likeness.

Are you saying we should create new versions of malaria, polio, and the plague bacillus? Is this really the best of ideas? I mean, daisies are pretty, but I could sort of do without ebola. Or does that border on ingratitude?