BioInspired! So What? Now What!

Workshop by Professor Julian Vincent, University of Oxford

This 2-day workshop will address problems of optimisation in technology and biology. At the end of the course you will be able to analyse biology papers more readily and have learned a new approach to solving difficult problems.

In a classic design problem defined in terms of dialectic materialism, that there are two desired outcomes which are mutually exclusive. The classic solution is “optimisation” - the "least worse” solution where each outcome is not too much harmed by the other, commonly called a “trade-off”. Biology can avoid this problem by changing its control systems such that each of the outcomes can be used, but under differing circumstances.

Workshop programme

 October  10 (Saturday) Morning

1. Introductory lecture on Biomimetics, covering basic advantages and problems in this approach to design, some good examples and some bad ones.

2. An exploration of the dialectic approach, with some theory and examples from biology.

3. Formation of Project Groups (4 people per group): Distribution of biological papers and project topics.

October  11 (Sunday) Morning

1.  Group discussion of allocated papers and their understanding.

2.  Tutorials with each Project Group, discussing papers and application to project.

October  11 (Sunday) Afternoon

Presentation of projects, course photograph and award of certificates.