The document discusses mass production in nature compared to synthetic production. It notes that nature can produce complex structures with simplicity using prototype testing on a lavish scale without regard for manufacturing costs. Nature is limited by the materials, energy, and information available to the designer, using DNA and RNA as its "blueprints." The document then examines various natural and synthetic materials, how their properties suit different purposes, and limitations faced by natural and synthetic designers. It advocates studying natural materials and production methods to inspire more sustainable design approaches.

1. Mass Production in Nature
How does nature produce?

2. Natural vs. Synthetic
Proteins Elastomers

3. Waterfall / Buttercup / Locomotive
Which is the odd one out?

4. Design and Science

5. Elegance in Design
Centipede Locomotive

6. Design in Nature
Human knee Door hinge

7. Limitations of production
Kinds of materials that can be used
Sorts of mechanism possible (one connected whole vs. assembly of parts)
Structures which can be developed
Complexity vs. simplicity
Complexity is not expensive in nature (prototype testing on a lavish scale)
Manufacturing cost vs. performance in design (easy to make vs. best for the task)

8. Limitations of designer
Material
Energy
Information

9. Production considerations in design and nature
Three ‘p’ governing choice of materials in design
properties
production (reproduction and growth in nature)
price

10. Price of production
Spider web Steel reinforcement bars

11. Price of production
An airplane’s shape at the gate differs little from its shape in flight,
but a leaf in still air looks nothing like one in a storm.

12. Which properties matter when?

13. Spider silk Collagenous tendon
extensible, strong, tough stiff, tough, resilient
not stiff, resilient not extensible, strong

14. Brick Mild steel
Stiff, not tough Strong, not stiff

15. James Gordon
Humans usually build to a criterion of adequate stiffness while nature most
often builds to a criterion of adequate strength. It makes them vulnerable to any
accidents or unusual loads that might start cracks
More material is usually needed to build something that’s stiff enough than to
build something that’s strong enough.

16. Enamel-tipped tooth Carbide-tipped blade

17. Ship hull Marine alga
Stiff, not tough Tough, impact resistant
Adapts to internal and external loads

18. Most of the drag of the tree comes from leaves
Leaves –> Trunk –> Roots –> Collapse

20. Limitations of designer
Material
Energy
Information

21. Blueprints, jigs, and tools DNA and RNA
adenine (A)
drawings
cytosine (C)
mold schematics
guanine (G)
jigs, tools, patterns, templates, dies
thymine (T)

22. Manufacturing of synthetic polymers Manufacturing of natural polymers
Cells make things bigger than themselves (organisms) from parts
Makes parts smaller than itself (plate)
smaller than themselves (molecules)

23. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nFyuxGEhzY

24. Phenomold: Alëna Iouguina, Anthony Dewar, Mendel Skulski

25. How to move toward nature-inspired design?

32. Nature-inspired design

33. Testing natural materials Testing synthetic materials

51. Workshop
Think of a creature that is local to Ottawa area (plant or animal kingdom). Each
creature has a unique set of strategies that help it survive in its habitat. Once
you have identified one or more intriguing functions of your creature, identify
products, processes, or systems that have similar functional needs. Then put
together one of the following options:
A pitch on behalf of your creature
One-page magazine advertisement of your product based on the creature
Your story should try and convince the audience that this creature is worth
learning from. So be sure to talk about what we could learn from it and in what
applications.