Product Development Using Bio-mimicry Design Spiral

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Product Development Using Bio-mimicry Design SpiralApproach of Swimming Aid

Ratna Purwaningsih1,*, Danu Rahardjo2, Wiwik Budiawan3, Purnawan Adi Wicaksono4, and Haryo Santosa5

1,2,3Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Diponegoro University, Semarang - Indonesia

Abstract. In the search for sustainable products idea, Bio-mimicry is one of the method to find alternativesolutions. Bio mimicry is a method to define solution that is filtered and developed by nature. This studyused bio mimicry technology to formulate a model of "hand swimming aids" to increase hands thrust in thewater when swimming. The proposed model is based on the use of the Bio mimicry Design Spiral rule.Spiral Bio mimicry Design Rules used to simulate the shape and functional design of selected naturalorganisms. This study learn how frog lining model help frog to swim and select one model and apply it onhand swimmer tool design so that it can produce more sustainable products and can apply the designfunction of natural model well.

Keywords: Bio mimicry; Design Spiral; Swimming aids on hand

1 INTRODUCTIONToday, many inventions lead to sports. One sporting

practice that produces many inventions of assistivedevices is swimming. Swimming is a way that people oranimals do to move their bodies in the water [1].Swimming naturally does not require special equipmentor clothing. Humans can swim without any equipmentunder any circumstances. Swimming devoted torecreation and sports. Swimming in the militarysometimes require additional equipment in the form ofclothing and special equipment designed to helpfacilitate humans moving in the water. Some of theadditional equipment that is already there and often usedwhen swimming is swimming glasses, torpedoes (simple/motor), ear and nose cover, head cover, swimsuit, andfrog legs. Additional equipment designed to acceleratethe movement of humans in the water, usually intendedfor swimming and competition activities. However,swimming equipment is designed to make it easier toswim and avoid the risks arising from swimming.

The purpose of designing the swimming aids on thehands is to facilitate the thrust and make the movementmore efficient during swimming. Hand movements havean influence in swimming activities. The design ofswimming aids are mostly done by using bio-mimicryapproach. Examples are frog legs aid that mimic thefunction of frog legs, fins that mimic the functions ofwhale tail plates, and swimsuits of athletes that mimicthe concept of shark scales. Design of a swimming aidsthat focus on hand tools is mimicking the concept of frogmembrane on frog legs.

Bio-mimicry is an innovation approach that graduallybecomes more popular. The term bio-mimicry was

popularized through a book "Bio mimicry: InnovationInspired by Nature". The focus is on finding sustainablesolutions to human challenges by looking at nature as"model, size, and mentor". Frogs have solved many ofthe problems we face today. The way frogs solveproblems has been developed throughout history togenerate new solutions and innovations. An example is,the frog's legs on the type of tree frog are imitated intomini-robots for surgical devices that have hexagonal legsand can stick to wet or even slippery surfaces. Anotherexample is the frog's nest, where some frogs make nestslike foams. Scientists mimicking those principles to beartificial foams in the laboratory. The foam willwithstand the damage caused by bacteria and microbesand also be able to retain moisture.

The design process follows the Bio-mimicry DesignSpiral rule through the Challenge to Biology approachpublished by the Biomimicry Institute. SpiralBiomimicry Design was developed by Carl Hastrich whois an industrial designer. Spiral Biomimicry Design isthe stage of the process for transforming naturalstrategies into innovative and sustainable designsolutions. In the revised Biomimicry Design Spiral thereare 5 processes, namely distill, translate, discover,emulate, and evaluate [2]. One of the most powerfulaspects of Biomimicry Design Spiral is the spiral processitself. Spiral models form repetitions in each round,allowing researchers to create more innovative andeffective designs. Through the spiral process, researcherscan start from the stage that is most appropriate to thecondition of the study. If the researcher begins the designof the peneiti design, it can be expanded from the distillprocess. If you want to create something new or deepeninnovation that is inspired from nature, it can start from

https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/2018730 , 0 (2018)E3S Web of Conferences 73ICENIS 2018

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© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

the discover process. When starting with assessing andfocusing the concept of sustainability on existingproducts then researchers can start from the evaluationprocess.

The purpose of this study is learn on how to applyBio-mimicry Design Spiral rules into the design processof swimming aids on hand by mimicking the principlesof frog foot lining and to knowing the application ofBio-mimicry Design Spiral rules in product design. Theoutput of the study is to describe on how to use the rulesof bio-mimicry spiral design in designing the sustainableproduct.

2 Literature Review

Research on biomimicry already done area ofarchitecture [3] and Interior Design for increased theproduct sustainability [4], [5]. Biomimicry also appliedon children's educational playground [6]. The use ofbiomimicry in the design of swimming aids is still achallenging topic.

2.1. The concept of Bio-mimicryBio-mimicry in Europe commonly called bionic is adesign that is inspired by nature. Bio-mimicry does notmerely imitate but the inspiration for changing theprinciples of nature into successful design strategies.Bio-mimicry technology uses nature as a model, thenmeasures, and trains us to overcome problems inarchitecture. This is not the same as the biomorphicarchitecture, which uses the existing elements of natureas a source of inspiration for creating shapes. Bio-mimicry technology just look at nature as an examplethat can be used as inspiration, see the process of nature,then apply it into a work [7].

Nature is inspiring not only because of its perfection,but because nature produces a lot. There are some flawsin natural design: natural products require ongoing and /or reproducible maintenance, and organisms cannotborrow designs; they must evolve from their existingdesigns. Evolution requires solutions to be better thanever; this is not a test ground for new strategies thatmight get worse for generations before they get better.However, whatever we see in nature has been tested forhundreds or thousands of years, and the earth hasprovided innumerable intelligent solutions that we mightnever have imagined.

Three main factors that describe this new field ofstudy. First, bio-mimicry studies natural models andimitates or draws inspiration from its designs to processhuman problems. Second, bio-mimicry uses ecologicalstandards to assess the 'truth' of human-madeinnovations. And thirdly, bio-mimicry becomes a newway of seeing and appreciating nature. Bio-mimicryintroduces an era, not on what we can take from nature,but what we can learn from nature [8].

The core idea of bio-mimicry is as a model, ameasure, and a mentor. By using nature as a model, wecan get ideas to solve our problems from organisms.Whatever we try to do, there are usually organisms thathave developed successful strategies for doing so.

Applying nature as a measure, we can look at the naturalworld to see what is possible. Spider webs are, forexample, cobwebs, stronger than steel and stronger thanKevlar (which claims to be five times stronger thansteel), but the "factory" that produces it is smaller thanour pinkie, and does not require boiling sulfuric acid orhigh-pressure engines. Taking nature as a mentor, wecan recognize that we are part of a great system, and weare destroying nature as partner / partner and teacherrather than as a source to be exploited.

Bio-mimicry can be achieved at different levels: thelevel of shape and function, process level, and systemlevel. The shape and function of bio-mimicry applied onVelcro is the most common embodiment of bio-mimicry.Biomimetic processes make products as nature wants.Making their own layers developed in the nationallaboratory of the Sandia Department of Energy is anexample of a biometric process-they evolved from asolution of how shellfish grows in seawater. Incrediblypowerful, transparent coatings, which can be developedrapidly in the laboratory, can revolutionize any kind ofcover for everything from cars to contact lenses.Biomimetic systems display a closed loop cycle of lifethat recycles the outputs and products of one process asinputs for the other. In the biomimetic system "wasteequals food" [9]. We can add another Level Four: designlevel. Biomimetic design processes in forms such asgenetic algorithms and repetition designs-can producecheap and green results that we never see in nature. Thestudents of nature learn quickly.

2.1. The Bio-mimicry Design SpiralThe Bio-mimicry Institute has developed a designprocess that can promote the transfer of ideas, designs,and strategies from biology into the design of humansystems. The Bio-mimicry Process Design describes astep to translate the problem in biological terms, thusbringing more opportunities for biologists to identifyinnovative solutions in nature. The steps in this processare also graphically depicted in the so-called "SpiralDesign Bio-mimicry" shown below. The imagecommunicates repeatedly (evolving) on themethodological properties by mapping steps based onthe spiral design on the snail's shell. Snail shell (Nautilusshell) is a proper symbol, it is based on a spiral designwith a ratio found throughout the natural design andhuman design. This redesign pattern consists of a seriesof so glowing productive Fibonacci measurements,dubbed "The Golden Ratio".

The design of bio-mimicry spiral describe on figure1. The process or stage start from identify the problem orthe user need identification that should be solve in thedesign. Stage 2 is Translate, this stage try to find thesolution from nature to answer the problem. Continue byobserve stage, the stage identify nature model for thesolution. Then the nature model applied on designconcept in the emulate stage. The evaluate stage willevaluate the design to make any adjustment byconsidering the human or user, the material, the methodhow to use the product.


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IDENTIFY/ DISTILL to filter the design function "what can be done by

design?" "what is the design do?"

TRANSLATE to translate into biology "How does nature perform the

function?" linked to the consumer needs

statement to give a clear picture inthe design of the product in the nextstage

OBSERVE/DISCOVER to find a natural model a process of studying

nature and looking fornatural models neededin product design

APPLIED/ EMULATE to imitate the model of nature discuss some alternative solutions into

the form of design

EVALUATE to evaluate the design the main question is

whether the designcreated can adapt to theuser?

Fig. 1. The Design Spiral

Spiral Bio-mimicry Design is the stage of the processfor transforming natural strategies into innovative andsustainable design solutions. There are 5 processes in therevised Bio-mimicry Design Spiral: distill, translate,discover, emulate, and evaluate. One of the mostpowerful aspects of Bio-mimicry Design Spiral is thespiral process itself. Spiral models form repetitions ineach round, allowing designer to create more innovativeand effective designs. Through the spiral process,designer can start from the stage that is most appropriateto the condition of the study. If the designer begins thedesign, they can be expanded from the distill process. Ifyou want to create something new or great innovationthat is inspired from nature, you can start from thediscover process. If designer start with assessing andfocusing the concept of sustainability of existingproducts then he can start from the evaluation process.

The Biomimicry Design Spiral concept, theresearcher starts from the evaluate process, then distill,translate, discover, emulate, and finally return to theevaluate stage. This is because, the researchers found theproduct of handmade swimming aids on the existinghand and circulating in the market, so that the firstprocess is evaluate where researchers will conductassessment and focus the concept of sustainability onexisting products. These products include paddle boards,finger lining, and swimming gloves. In the present study,the researchers attempted to systematically apply howthe product design uses the rules of biomimicry spiraldesign on hand swimming aids.

The spiral model is also a flexible process, so it canbe started from any step. If you want to create somethingnew design, then researchers can start from the stage-distill. If interested in deepening innovation, such assustainable design and provide solutions, it can bestarted from the translate process. If the goal iscreativity, then it can start from the emulate process.And if starting with assessing and focusing the conceptof sustainability on existing products, then researcherscan start from the evaluation process.

3 Research MethodResearch using the Biomimicry Design Spiral

concept starts from the evaluate process, then distill,translate, discover, emulate, and finally return to theevaluate stage. This is because, the researchers found theproduct of handmade swimming aids on the existinghand and circulating in the market, so that the firstprocess is evaluate where researchers will conductassessment and focus the concept of sustainability onexisting products. These products include paddle boards,finger lining, and swimming gloves. In the present study,the researchers attempted to systematically apply howthe product design uses the rules of biomimicry spiraldesign on hand swimming aids.

3.1. Di-stillDistill or here is meant to filter the design function, in

the distill process, the main question point is "what canbe done by design?", And no longer question "what isthe design do?". So at this stage, the design function isidentified, so that it can then be linked to the consumerneeds statement to give a clear picture in the design ofthe product in the next stage.

In the process of distill identification is done toformulate the problem faced. Do not ask what you wantto design (a hand-held swimming tool), but ask what thedesign is doing for you (provides a stronger thrust forcein the water to increase swimming speed). Ask the"why" question of the problem formulation and keepasking the question, to conclude how the desired designis to answer the emerging problem.

3.2. TranslateTranslate or here it is intended to translate into biology,at this stage the design function has been filtereddeveloped into the natural factors. The main question is"How does nature perform the function?". From thesequestions it is necessary to define the natural conditionsthat reflect the design parameters.This process learn how nature can accommodate humansin swimming, focusing on hand tools. In this process isdone to identify the desired function. Then describe whatnature is doing to perform the function. Then describeinfluential environmental factors / conditions, thenconnect to what nature can do with that factor.

3.3. DiscoverDiscover or here is meant to find a natural model, is a

process of studying nature and looking for naturalmodels needed in product design. Natural model in thesearch is a model capable of performing such designfunctions. After studying the factors that influence thehand gestures while swimming, designer observe theenvironment and look for objects that can providesolutions. Then after found, it will be done in-depthobservation

3.4. EmulateEmulate or here in question is to imitate the model of

nature, in it contains activities to discuss somealternative solutions into the form of design in


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accordance with the design functions. The shape of thedesign mimics the natural model that has been selected.The result of observation to the object of research will beimitated and applied to product design to be made. Thentested the design.

3.5. EvaluateEvaluate or here is meant to evaluate the design, the

main question is whether the design created can adapt tothe user? Initial stage evaluation is an initial stageassessment process conducted on the existing swimminghand tool product to know the value given by the userbased on the dependent variable so as to know theweakness and the advantages of the product to get thedesign according to the needs and wants of the user. Theintended user is a swimmer who has used a paddle boardproduct, and / or a swimming glove product, and / or afinger film product. The selected design will beevaluated in detail, with a direct test of swimming swimmeasurements, and then an interview to get anassessment of whether the design is in accordance withthe consumer needs or not.

3 Result and discussionThe Biomimicry Design Spiral concept, the

researcher starts from the evaluate process, then distill,translate, discover, emulate, and finally return to theevaluate stage. This is because, the researchers found theproduct of handmade swimming aids on the existinghand and circulating in the market, so that the firstprocess is evaluate where researchers will conductassessment and focus the concept of sustainability onexisting products. These products include paddle boards,finger lining, and swimming gloves. In the present study,the researchers attempted to systematically apply howthe product design uses the rules of biomimicry spiraldesign on hand swimming aids.

Nature has the slightest influence in human life. Noexception in swimming activities. The natural factorsthat influence the activity of swimming (especially inhand movements) are environment, water flow, waterdepth, and the movement of other objects.

Discover is a process of finding solutions that exist innature that match human needs that have been translatedinto the translate process. In this step, will be classifiedseveral types of animals that swim using a tool of motionof the hands or feet of animals belonging to theclassification of vertebrate animals (vertebrates) thatexist around the researchers.

Designer found some animals that used to doswimming activities. The researcher's focus is to observehow the animal performs the activity in the water andwhether the motion used has similar function to theresearcher's design function. Frogs have hands and feetused during swimming. The goose and duck forces onlyuse their feet to pedal the water so they can float andmove in the water. The three animals perform the samefunction with the researcher's design function, which ismoving in water by enlarging the thrust force in thewater. The motion of frog swim in the water while

membrane in the frog's legs docked and stretched. Differto the ducks and swans that are mostly always stretchedand just doing the paddling motion. These observationsbring the designer decision to focus on frog animals asthe model that best adapts to the functioning of thehuman hand.

The frog pushes its legs back, then the membraneopens, creating a dam against water. When the frog pullsthe leg back to its body, the membrane closes,streamlining the movement of the foot through the waterback to its original position. And the hand movementstend to be straight forward. The webbed feet increase thearea of propulsion (encouragement) to allow the frog toswim quickly. Frogs are famous amphibians that canjump and swim very well with the same rear-leggedmechanisms, so it is important to learn the mechanics ofmotion to realize the ability of motion in an unstructuredfield. In frog swims, the joints rotate in large numbers,and due to the movement of the limbs, the frog canperform repeated routes. Here is a picture of the area ofimpulse (boost) generated from the back leg kick of thefrog while swimming [10].

In this study, the function of addition of propulsionwill be made as a reference in forming the design ofswimming aids on hand. Where in the activity of humanswimming, the four tools of motion with both hands andboth feet active and play a role in swimming. Butresearchers will only focus on hand gestures, because thetools of swimming on the feet are common in themarket. However, swimming aids on hand have not beenfound. The occurrence of additional propulsion on theswimming frog movement, not apart from the membraneon the frog legs. Because the membrane provides a widercross section so as to increase the strength of thesurrounding water.

The principle of frog foot lining that is able toprovide propulsion while swimming in the water, canaffect the speed of swimming. The principle will beapplied to the hand swimming aids. Where the hand canprovide a more optimal propulsion if it has a cross-sectional area maximized by the width of the hand so asto produce a greater thrust force than the empty hand.

Fig 2. The membrane on hand copy of frog foot lining

By using bio mimicry, by studying natural designfeatures and applying them into product design as


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problem solvers, able to provide attractive solutions thatcan be applied and explored to achieve optimal design.

Imitate the membrane function in frog legs suggest tofaster swimming. Frogs that stretch their webbed legswider, allowing it to apply more force to the surroundingwater. The wider the surface the greater the powergenerated. Leg muscle strength also plays a role, frogswith greater leg muscle strength which isn’t webbedhave weaker thrust against water than frogs with weaklegs but have a membrane on their feet. As the frogpushes back with its legs, the membrane opens, creatinga dam against water. When the frog pulls the leg back toits body, the membrane closes, streamlining themovement of the foot through the water back to itsoriginal position.

AcknowledgmentsResearchers would like to thank to DiponegoroUniversity student and all the people involved for thecooperation for this study. This research was financiallysupported by the Research and public service Directorateof Ministry of Research Technology and HigherEducation in scheme of PTUPT (Penelitian TerapanUnggulan Perguruan Tinggi) 2018

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Product Development Using Bio-mimicry Design Spiral