biomimetics in orthotics

A Bridge To New Insight And Inspiration

Biomimetics and OrthoticsDerek Jones PhD., MBA

Bio-inspired engineering

Be-inspired engineering

Its Fashionable..but is it just hype

Wananga “School of life”

✤ the Sky is the Roof

✤ the Earth is the Floor

✤ all Life Forms are Teachers

A pattern to encircle, envelop and crush..

A Metaphor to Solve a Problem

Encircle it.

Look at it from different directions.

View from different perspectives.

Upside down - Back to front.

Zoom in - Zoom out.

Watch a Solution Grow!

What are you trying to achieve?Keep focused on the goal

Orthosis - added to the bodyStart with the fundamentals - What is the problem?

Static StructuresProgress through new materials and methods

New HorizonsTechnologies that behave like muscle, control methodologies that exploit principles of biological movement - device structures like the skeleton

From Herr, Whitely And Childress -

“Cyborg Technology - Biomimetic Orthotic And Prosthetic Technology”

Dynamic StructureActuated AFO

1) Thermoplastic AFO2) Series-elastic actuator3) Angle sensor4) Capacitive force sensors

Some process steps

✤ Identify the limitations of current functionality

✤ Formulate the gaps as biological questions - How in the World?

✤ Search for nature’s solution - Taxonomy

✤ Generate some product ideas

✤ unique?

✤ cost-effective?

✤ sustainable?

Orthoses are addedand yet .. involve a cost

•Control Motion at a Joint or Joints - Allowing, Resisting, Blocking

•Control Positions of Body Segments -Correcting and Aligning

•Redirect Forces from Body Tissue - Relieving, Sharing Load

Cost - Cosmesis, Comfort, Encumbrance, Weight, Ease of Use

Control Motion at a joint?

Control Positions of body segments ?

Redirect Forces from body tissue?

How nature meets challenges

www.asknature.org

Thin walled, dense outer

shellLow density, cellular core

Animal Quills

Pea Stems

Prevent BucklingAxial and bending loads?

Can we control joint positions under load without overt constraint?

Western Pacific hexactinellid sponge

Laminated Skeletal

elements

Grasping tendrils

Exploring Strategy

Now you have your great concept!

But you still have a long way to go..

The pioneer’sproblem

Those who go first just might get opposition from the natives

Lead with Business Strategy - Support with Design

As businesses adapt to meet new market needs and opportunities, strategy must lead, design must

contribute.

Designers must think like business people and create like artists