NATURE INSPIRED ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS
Nature perfected the art of developing sustainable new products through 4 billion years of evolution. We can learn a lot from nature for sustainable engineering solutions. Lot of engineering innovations inspired from nature are commercially also successful. At ATOA Scientific Technologies, we add special emphasis to biomimetics, intersection of biology and Technology discipline to help our client develop nature inspired innovative products. Life is complex and diverse physical system, however evolved as an optimal system with efficient terminal units or building blocks. Biomimetics has matured from empirical scaling laws to computational modelling of active matter. At ATOA, we bridge biomimetics for business innovation through multiphysics CAE.
Nature makes simple raw materials such as water, keratin, air and limited resources and energy for remarkable applications and functionality. Some of the Nature inspired Technologies and product solutions at offer from ATOA are as follows.
Evolutionary Structural Optimisation
Nature uses simple algorithm for structural optimization. Nature adds materials where it is stressed and Removes material where it is not stressed. This simple algorithm helped to evolve remarkable engineering structures such as human skull, bone, Vultures metacarpal bone. These methods are superior than conventional shape and size optimisation methods. We have developed Evolutionary Structural Optimisation algorithm along with FEA for optimisation and design of optimal beam, plate, building, wing, orthosis and prosthesis.
Nature inspired Materials
Nature makes simple raw materials, optimal cellular structural arrangement and nano scale features for specific superior properties. For example, Nature leverages cellular structures for higher specific stiffness and specific strength of balsa wood and bamboo. Nanostructured bioceramics provides stiff and tough materials, which is difficult with man made polymer or ceramic materials. Nature also provides defect insensitive Nanomaterials. At, ATOA, we have developed material mechanics tools for developing artificial material inspired from nature. Do contact us with your material requirement specification and we can help develop those materials for meeting multiple design requirements.
Structured Surfaces and Interfaces
Nature evolved many surface characteristics for innovative functionality. Nature leverages structural surface features at macro, micro and nano scale for iridescent and weatherable color, drag reduction or aerodynamic or hydrodynamic performance improvement, increased or reduced adhesion, lubrication, cleaning, water harvesting, solar energy harvesting and healing. At ATOA, We have developed multiscale modelling capability of structured surfaces, coatings and multilayered systems to create novel engineered surfaces for innovative functions. For example, Non pigment based Structural colour, Shark skin riplets based aerodynamic surfaces for drag reduction, gecko inspired physical adhesion, birds feather inspired vortex features for maximizing lift and minimize noise, lotus leaf inspired self cleaning, plant inspired solar energy harvesting and uniform graded material interfaces. Efficient surfaces and interfaces for electromagnetic (optical/IR/UV/ MW/RF/X-ray) and acoustic transmission or reflection or extraction.
Hierarchical branching systems
Nature evolved over years for the development of efficient circulatory, respiratory, neuron network system for complex fluid transport, delivery and communication. These systems leverage self similar and space filling building blocks for optimization of energy required for pumping and uniform delivery of resources. These systems follows well known 3/4th power law, scaling laws. These Hierarchical branching system concepts are digested and developed into design algorithm at ATOA for design of optimal fluid flow pipe network, communication network, structural load or stress flow and electrical current flow systems for innovative industrial product development.
Natured inspired Devices and Systems
Nature evolved over billion of years and solved similar engineering problems of our interest in an efficient and sustainable way. In addition to developing design methods, materials and surfaces, we can leverage these concepts to develop a whole nature inspired devices and system, such as, Dolphin inspired, frequency modulated underwater acoustics devices, Kingfisher inspired aero/hydrodynamics structures, Mosquito micro drill inspired medical and material drilling devices, and anthill inspired building thermal managements system. We have developed multiphysics and multiscale models to understand these effects and offer design solution for innovative devices and system development for our clients.
ATOA scientific technology developed simulation capability and models to mimic these natural insect and plant system for novel engineering product development. Some of basic bio scaling laws and computational biomodelling can be employed for efficient and sustainable product development. At ATOA, biomimetics for product and process innovation is enabled through multiphysics CAE. Do mail us for any of your requirements for nature inspired optimisation, materials, engineering surfaces, Hierarchical branching, devices and or systems at http://cae.atoa.com/contact-resources/contact-form .
