Biomimetics-Innovation-Centre (B-I-C)

Main research topics

Biomimetic research takes place in close cooperation between diverse disciplines. Therefore, the research teams at the B-I-C are multidisciplinary and cooperate in the field of R&D at both national and international level with companies and institutions from a wide range of fields. The aim is to gain new insights in the respective research areas and to translate these into innovative technologies through application-oriented research.

Fluid dynamics

Air and water currents have a significant impact on the performance of technical systems. Shape and surface structure determine drag, lift and energy efficiency. Nature offers a multitude of optimised solutions for this – from friction-reducing microstructures to streamlined wing geometries.

Fluid dynamics is therefore a key research focus at the B-I-C. Biological models such as shark skin, salvinia and insect wings serve as inspiration for systematically analysing efficient principles and transferring them to technical applications.

Both experimental investigations in the aerodynamics and hydrodynamics laboratories and numerical simulations using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) are used. On this basis, the B-I-C develops innovative, flow-optimised solutions for a wide range of applications – from surface structures to bio-inspired drive concepts.

Locomotion

Biological organisms move around in a wide variety of habitats with high efficiency, adaptability and minimal energy consumption. Their locomotion strategies – from running and climbing to swimming and flying – provide valuable models for innovative technical drive and mobility systems.

At the B-I-C, these principles are systematically investigated and transferred to applications in robotics, vehicle technology and autonomous systems. A particular focus is on locomotion in air and water, for example on bio-inspired wings, lightweight structures and energy-efficient drive concepts.

Experimental motion analyses and state-of-the-art simulations form the methodological basis for precisely capturing biological strategies and translating them into powerful, resource-efficient technologies.

Functional surfaces

Biological surfaces have diverse, highly functional properties and offer great potential for innovative and sustainable technical applications. At the B-I-C, the surfaces and interfaces of marine organisms are studied in particular in order to understand natural adhesion, bonding and flow mechanisms and transfer them to technical systems.

The focus is on multifunctional surfaces with properties such as self-cleaning, friction reduction, protective and insulating functions, and targeted adhesion. These principles serve as the basis for the development of high-performance material and surface concepts.

Recent research has included bio-inspired antifouling solutions, adhesive-free adhesion systems and air-trapping surfaces for friction minimisation – for example, for ship hulls in the EU project AIRcoat or pipe systems in the BMBF project AIRtube.

Lightweight construction, design & optimisation

Biological structures combine high load-bearing capacity with minimal use of materials and are therefore considered natural models for efficient lightweight construction concepts. At the B-I-C, these principles are systematically analysed in order to develop robust, resource-saving and high-performance components for technical applications.

With the aid of numerical simulations and structural mechanical optimisation methods, natural design strategies – such as the growth and adaptation processes of trees or bones – are abstracted and transferred to technical systems. Methods such as computer-aided optimisation (CAO) and structural-constructive optimisation (SKO) enable significantly lighter structures with the same or higher load-bearing capacity.

Biological Structures and Biomechanics

The Biological Structures and Biomechanics working group focuses its research on the arthropod cuticle as a versatile biological composite material. The focus is on its biological function, its microscopic mechanics and the development of novel, cuticle-inspired materials using nanotechnology. The multi-layered structure of the cuticle provides important insights for the design of modern fibre composites and impact-resistant lightweight structures – with potential applications ranging from aerospace to industrial product and packaging technology.

Biological Materials

The Biological Materials working group researches bio-inspired, biomimetic and bio-based materials as well as the entire value chain of natural fibres and fibre-reinforced composites. The aim is to understand the structure-property relationships of biological and technical materials and to use this knowledge to develop sustainable, high-performance products.

Organisation & Logistics

Proven principles of biological systems can be applied to business issues in organisation, production and logistics. In close cooperation with industry partners, we analyse natural strategies for efficiency, resilience, self-organisation and adaptive control and make this potential available to companies in a targeted manner.

Biological models show how complex processes can be coordinated in a stable and efficient manner through decentralised decision-making structures, robust communication and flexible workflows. We transfer these mechanisms to production processes, internal communication structures and national and global supply chains with the aim of making processes more efficient, resilient and resource-efficient.

In successful industrial collaborations – including with the company Tchibo – bionic methods have been directly translated into concrete operational measures. The process model developed jointly at the B-I-C now serves as a practical guide for further projects aimed at the sustainable optimisation of organisational and logistics processes.