Full, R.J.: Bestowing biological inspiration and getting novel insight from engineering and entertainment.

Discoveries and principles in biology can provide inspiration for design in robotics, animatronics, animation and architecture. Unique materials and structures, remarkable functional relationships and the spectacularly effective performance found in natural technologies provide a wealth of ideas. Yet, blind, direct copying of biology is rare and often fails. Nature provides useful hints at what is possible. In most cases, it is more valuable to use concepts and analogies when advantageous. Nature’s designs are constrained by development, history, function and Newton’s Laws. Human creations often extend beyond biological capabilities and can be made to be more effective. The flow of ideas is in no way unidirectional. In fact, historically, there has been more transfer from engineering, physics and mathematics to biology than the reverse (Vogel, 1998). The conception and construction of artificial technologies has been extremely important in providing novel hypotheses and instrumentation to biology. Multidisciplinary experiences can benefit biological research directly and indirectly through the fostering of lateral thinking. The mutually beneficial reciprocal relationships between biology and engineering, computer science and entertainment are increasing exponentially. We are the verge of a revolution in the Age of Integration.