Bionics

Common card · No. 250731

Bionics or biologically inspired engineering is the application of biological methods and systems found in nature to the study and design of engineering systems and modern technology. The word bionic, coined by Jack E. Steele in August 1958, is a portmanteau from biology and electronics which was popularized by the 1970s U.S. television series The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman, both based on the novel Cyborg by Martin Caidin. All three stories feature humans given various superhuman powers by their electromechanical implants. According to proponents of bionic technology, the transfer of technology between lifeforms and manufactured objects is desirable because evolutionary pressure typically forces living organisms—fauna and flora—to become optimized and efficient. For example, dirt- and water-repellent paint (coating) was inspired by the hydrophobic properties of the lotus flower plant (the lotus effect). The term "biomimetic" is preferred for references to chemical reactions...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Mongeau J-M, McRae B, Jusufi A, Birkmeyer P, Hoover AM, et al. (2012) Rapid Inversion: Running Animals and Robots Swing like a Pendulum under Ledges. PLoS ONE 7(6): e38003. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0…, CC BY 2.5