Using descriptions of biological phenomena for idea generation

Biomimetic design uses biological phenomena to inspire solutions to engineering problems. While many examples of biomimetic design involved detailed understanding of a particular biological phenomenon, the level of understanding required for idea generation is unclear. This paper reports on a study of how descriptions of biological phenomena are used to develop concepts for a simple problem. This study is a continuation of past work on the use of biological analogies for concept generation. Since previous studies had revealed difficulties with fixation and mapping, participants in this study were provided with support for analogical mapping. While participants were observed to extract strategies consistent with the biological phenomena presented, they persisted in applying strategies to specific attributes of the example problem. Since concepts generated varied with attributes chosen, applying the strategy to each possible attribute of the example problem may result in a larger variety of solutions.

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