The number of nature-inspired products on the market doubles every year

Biomimetics can help overcome global challenges and make companies and cities more sustainable, affirms biologist Janine Benyus.

By Karina Toledo

Agência FAPESP – The lotus plant (Nelumbo nucifera) has become a symbol of spiritual purity because of its ability to remain impeccably clean in the muddy environment that it lives in. This feat can be explained by the presence of wax nanocrystals on the surface of the leaves, which very efficiently repel water. Water drops that fall on the plant have an almost perfectly spherical shape, sliding off with ease and taking with them dirt and microorganisms.

This phenomenon, known by scientists as the “lotus effect,” has served as the inspiration for the development of self-cleaning paints, glass and textiles that do not require the use of detergent, in addition to waterproof electronics.

The unique surface of the skin of Galapagos sharks (Carcharhinus galapagensis), which is covered with miniscule protuberances that function as a natural repellant of bacteria, inspired the development of biofilms that can be used to coat hospital beds, among other applications.

These and other examples of nature-inspired technologies were presented by U.S. biologist Janine Benyus during the International Seminar on Biomimetics & Ecodesign, held by FAPESP and Natura on April 11.

Benyus is a pioneer in an emerging field, biomimetics, which proposes that scientists use biodiversity not as a source of raw materials for industry but as a source of ideas for the design and development of products and systems.

“The number of products on the market inspired by nature doubles every year, and the number of scientific publications in the area doubles every two to three years. It is a field of knowledge that is growing very rapidly,” explained Benyus.

During the symposium, Benyus showed how biomimetics can help overcome global challenges, such as guaranteeing access to potable water, food and energy, in addition to reducing carbon emissions. Among the cases cited was a device capable of capturing humidity in the air and using it to irrigate farms in a manner that is ten times more efficient than traditional fog water collection.

The idea originated from the Namib beetle (Stenocara gracilipes), which is found in desert areas and harvests dew during the early morning hours with the help of microchannels on the surface of its body. These channels are made of both hydrophobic materials (like lotus leaves) and hydrophilic materials (which attract water). The microdrops flow through the microchannels of the insect’s torso and collect to form large drops that reach the beetle’s mouth.

“There are two ways to do biomimetics. One of them is to start from a design challenge and to seek a biological model capable of doing what is needed. The other is to observe an interesting phenomenon in the natural world and seek applications for it,” affirmed Benyus.

This principle has many uses beyond product development. It could inspire, for example, the planning of sustainable cities that function as a natural ecosystem. “Natural ecosystems such as tropical forests are generous. They clean the air, they clean the water, they fertilize the soil. They produce services that also benefit other habitats. And that’s what cities should do,” she opined.

Building bridges

In addition to working as a consultant for companies interested in finding solutions to create sustainable products, Benyus is an author of natural history books. “As a biologist, I saw many researchers studying how leaves perform photosynthesis and how ecosystems work well together. On the other hand, there was a growing interest in companies for more sustainable solutions. However, the designers did not see research produced by biologists. There was a need to build a bridge between them,” she said in an interview with Agência FAPESP.

Fifteen years ago, Benyus published the book Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, in which she collected diverse studies on the topic and introduced the term “biomimetics.” Since then, in addition serving as a business consultant, Benyus has offered nonprofit services to academic institutions and specialized courses for biologists, chemists, engineers, architects and other scientists interested in broader knowledge on the topic. All these services are being reunited as part of the Biomimicry 3.8 Institute.

Benyus also has a portal, Ask Nature, that brings together an enormous taxonomical database and allows researchers interested in biomimetics to conduct free searches on natural strategies to address a certain challenge.

“All that natural organisms do to satiate their needs – eating, breathing, mating – contributes in some way to the fertility of the habitat they live in. Animal waste fertilizes the soil; the carbon dioxide that they exhale is used by plants in photosynthesis. Life has created a generous system, and this is the reason that this genetic material has existed for more than 10,000 generations. The only way of guaranteeing the future of our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren is to take care of the place where they will live. We have to learn to be generous. It’s what life does,” she argued.

Sustainable design

Also during the International Seminar on Biomimetics & Ecodesign, Tim McAloone, professor at the Mechanical Engineering Department of Denmark’s Danmarks Tekniske Universitet, spoke about another strategy that allows companies to create environmentally appropriate processes and products: ecodesign.

“Design for the environment is a concept that permeates all phrases of the life cycle of a product, from choosing material, the manufacturing process and transportation to distribution and disposal,” he explained.

As an example, he cited an office chair developed by the U.S.-based company Steelcase. With a smaller number of parts and appropriate materials, it was possible to reduce the transportation weight and volume by 15%, in addition to making the recycling process easier and increasing durability.

In addition to presenting key criteria for sustainable design, McAloone spoke about the means of implementing this method of planning in organizations and disseminated a free guide for the development of sustainable products for download on the site www.kp.mek.dtu.dk/Forskning/omraader/ecodesign/guide.aspx.

Partnership

At the opening of the seminar, Natura’s Director of Science and Technology, Vitor Fernandes, affirmed that the objective of the event was to unite two themes that the company considers to be “very complimentary.” “We want to discuss with the scientific community how this can be studied and expanded and can generate value for society, companies and science,” he said.

FAPESP’s Scientific Director, Carlos Henrique de Brito Cruz, stressed that the partnership with Natura is part of FAPESP’s efforts to promote interaction among researchers at São Paulo academic institutions and those who work in industry.

“In São Paulo state, there is a high degree of interaction among companies and universities, comparable to any place in the world where there is good research and good science,” said Brito Cruz.

According to National Science Foundation data, in 2010, approximately 6% of the money invested in research at U.S. universities came from companies. “In Europe, this percentage varies between 3% and 10%. For São Paulo universities, such as USP, Unesp and Unicamp, it is between 5% and 10%. These percentages are comparable in terms of the volume of resources and the quantity of projects,” Brito Cruz.

However, according to FAPESP’s scientific director, the company has to have its own research activities for this partnership to work out. “In this manner, we will determine where help is needed and put together a research agenda. Collaboration with the university is not a substitute for the company’s internal research,” he noted.