BioInspired! So What? Now What!

The development of future real-world technologies will depend strongly on our understanding and harnessing of the principles underlying living systems and the flow of communication signals between living and artificial systems.

Biomimetics is the development of novel technologies through the distillation of principles from the study of biological systems.  The investigation of biomimetic systems can serve two complementary goals.  First, a suitably designed and configured biomimetic artefact can be used to test theories about the natural system of interest.  Second, biomimetic technologies can provide useful, elegant and efficient solutions to unsolved challenges in science and engineering.  Biohybrid systems are formed by combining at least one biological component -an existing living system - and at least one artificial, newly-engineered component.  By passing information in one or both directions, such a system forms a new hybrid bio-artificial entity.

The development of either biomimetic or biohybrid systems requires a deep understanding of the operation of living systems, and the two fields are united under the theme of “living machines” - the idea that we can construct artefacts, such as robots, that not only mimic life but share the same fundamental principles; or build technologies that can be combined with a living body to restore or extend its functional capabilities.

Biomimetic and biohybrid technologies, from nano- to macro-scale, are expected to produce major societal and economical impacts in quality of life and health, information and communication technologies, robotics, prosthetics, brain-machine interfacing and nanotechnology. Such systems should also lead to significant advances in the biological and brain sciences that will help us to better understand ourselves and the natural world. The following are some examples:

• Biomimetic robots and their component technologies (sensors, actuators, processors) that can intelligently interact with their environments.
• Active biomimetic materials and structures that self-organize and self-repair.
• Biomimetic computers—neuromimetic emulations of the physiological basis for intelligent behaviour.
• Biohybrid brain-machine interfaces and neural implants.
• Artificial organs and body-parts including sensory organ-chip hybrids and intelligent prostheses.
• Organism-level biohybrids such as robot-animal or robot-human systems.

Expected deadlines

March 22nd, 2013 Paper submission deadline
April 29th, 2013 Notification of acceptance
May 20th, 2013 Camera ready copy
July 29-August 2nd 2013 Conference