Bio-Inspired Design for PhDs
Learning objectives
This course provides you knowledge on:
- a design methodology that facilitates creative designing and thinking,
- smart mechanical design principles in nature,
- “biology to technology transfer” - integrating biological principles into novel designs,
- how to structure design processes and general “do’s” and “don’ts” in designing,
- how to apply creative designing and thinking in your own design or research project.
Contents
The course Bio-Inspired Design for PhDs gives an overview of non-conventional mechanical approaches in nature and shows how this knowledge can lead to more creativity in designing and to better (simpler, smaller, more robust, etc.) solutions as compared to conventional technology. The course discusses smart and unusual biological anatomic solutions and presents a number of innovative technical examples and designs of bio-inspired (surgical) instruments, devices, robots, vehicles, and machines. PhD candidates are trained with the ACRREx design methodology that was developed at the Faculty ME in order to teach them how to create smart and truly innovative designs. ACRREx alternates intuitive brainstorming with logical, scientific abstracting and categorizing, giving a view on novel design pathways and guiding a design or research process towards fundamentally new design solutions.
Required background
Background knowledge on mechanics and design.
Course material
- In person or recorded lectures from the master-course “ME41096 Bio Inspired Design” via BrightSpace or Collegerama.
- Journal paper on ACRREx and ten selected student reports and assessment rubrics.
ECTS credits:
2 EC (= 5 GSC)
Lecturer(s):
Prof.Dr.Ir. Paul Breedveld
Course dates:
The course starts in Week 2 of September (see Timetable) and ends in Week 4 of September with the possibility to extend the course to the first week of October to join an Interlude on the science and design behind biological and human-made flying vehicles (see Timetable).
Group sizes:
5-10 persons.
Assessment:
The PhD-candidates will attend three PhD sessions: (1) PhD Introduction, (2) Student Report Discussion, and (3) ACRREx Scheme Discussion, three lectures from the master-course “ME41096 Bio Inspired Design”: (1) General Introduction, (2) Bio-Inspired Design – a biologist’s perspective, and (3) Bio-Inspired Design – an engineer’s perspective), and two self-selected lectures, either in person or online via Collegerama or Brightspace. The PhD-candidates will participate in the discussions during the three PhD sessions, read ten selected student reports, fill in assessment rubrics for these reports, and prepare a well-founded ACRREx scheme specific for their own PhD project on a slide for a group discussion.
Contact:
Register for the course by sending an email to P.Breedveld@tudelft.nl