Lecture 12: Devices : Biomimetics, Microfluidics, Optofluidics

Question 1

In which disciplines do biomimetics can apply ?

Answer 1

• Art
• Medicine
• Biomimetics
• Archirecture
• Engineering

Question 2

What’s the concept of biomimetics ?

Answer 2

The field that uses the structures and
processes found in nature as inspiration for new synthetic structures and processes we can use
in our lives.

Question 3

What are some different examples of biomimetics ?

Answer 3

◆ Velcro is a biomimetic copy of the burdock plant. Hooks latch onto fibres, allowing for
repetitive use.
◆ Structural colouration, first introduced back in lecture #4, can be mimicked to produce
displays, detectors, and camouflage for example.
◆ Compound eyes, found, for example, in flies, can be mimicked to create detectors and
displays as well.
◆ Gecko’s feet are an example of structure-induced functionality. The feet are made of
countless microscopic spatulae that maximize Van der Waals forces between the feet and
the wall. This has led to the development of “gecko tape” and other nanotube-based
adhesives.