Biomimicry:
When nature's ingenuity
inspires the innovations of the future
Biomimicry: definition
Biomimicry is an R&D approach which consists in drawing inspiration from the ingenuity of the mechanisms, properties and functions of nature in order to innovate.
More broadly, biomimicry, also called bio-inspiration, encompasses all engineering and science inspired by living organisms.
In essence, biomimicry seeks to rely on the intelligence and sobriety of biological principles to design impactful and sustainable technologies.
Biomimicry:
what is the added value?
The promise of biomimicry is to take advantage of the oldest and largest R&D lab: nature.
It offers the most beautiful evidence: 3.8 billion years of innovation.
The benefit of bio-inspiration therefore lies in deciphering and transposing techniques and functions proven by millennia of evolution.
Living people have had time to find appropriate solutions to respond to a wide range of challenges, and ensure the daily life and survival of tens of millions of different species, in constrained environments.
The result is a prodigious pool of ideas and sophisticated, optimized and sober approaches.
An unprecedented opportunity to innovate!
Biomimicry: fields and levers of application
The technological versatility of nature makes biomimicry deeply transversal. It is a perfect lever for innovation: it concerns all sectors.
From aeronautics, to health, including construction, energy, IT and even luxury: biomimicry is an approach that can theoretically be applied to all fields.
A true toolbox, bio-inspiration makes it possible both to respond to precise technological obstacles (problem-solving) or to carry out forward-looking mindset and aim for breakthrough innovation.
A single philosophy: draw inspiration from the wisdom of prisms and biological systems to innovate smarter!
Biomimicry: a powerful scientific and industrial boom
Biomimicry is not a new approach, as drawing inspiration from nature is an old principle.
However, bio-inspiration has experienced a real acceleration since the mid-1990s, under the leadership of Janine Benyus, founder of the Biomimicry Institute in the United States.
Today, biomimicry is the subject of a real international scientific competition. Dynamism is intense in the corridors of the most prestigious universities and research centers in the world, which are developing ever more promising expertise. Latest milestone to date: the CNRS has listed biomimicry as one of its strategic priorities for 2023.
Biomimicry:
international standards
Like any field or sector in the process of development and democratization, biomimicry is gradually giving rise to standardization work.
In France, AFNOR (Association Française de Normalisation) thus developed the XP42-502 standard in 2017.
For its part, the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) created the ISO 18457 , ISO 18458 and ISO 18459 standards .
Biomimicry: deciphering and drawing inspiration from the properties of living organisms.
Nature is infinitely complex and orchestrates the lives of billions of organisms living in sophisticated and changing ecosystems.
The mechanisms of evolution have therefore endowed species with many functions and techniques to face their daily lives and meet their physiological needs. The most obvious: to feed oneself, to defend oneself or to protect oneself, to move around, to communicate, to understand one's environment, etc.
Nature therefore represents a sharp and varied know-how, materialized through the richness of our biodiversity: 1.8 million known species!
Below, a selection presented by Bioxegy .
Incredible Nature:
discover the first French podcast on biomimicry!
Bioxegy is the French specialist in biomimicry. And if there's one thing our team loves to do, it's to share their passion for the ingenuity of living things.
So we decided to create a great podcast on biomimicry, the first of its kind!
Bio-inspired technologies, success stories, surprising anecdotes on certain species and meetings with researchers and entrepreneurs: discover the world of biomimicry!
