Reverse Engineering

Introducing a technique to reverse engineer!

Using the reverse bio-engineering worksheet. We performed a sequence of question and answering on our observations of our mushis this far. And then we came out with exciting ideas that might just be the future! Try it out on anything and you might be just a step away from a "lightbulb" moment!

REVERSE BIO-ENGINEERING WORKSHEET

1.     Examine the biological artifact with the intent of discerning:

a.     What does the biological artifact do?

• Climbs onto rocks and trees to seek for food and to avoid drowning
• Feeds on fruits, plant leaves and sometimes even bones and stones for calcium
• Since the first snail came above the water surface, they have evolved to breathe using lungs.
• Hide themselves in their shell when they feel threatened by either, their prey or the climate condition.

It may seem soft and brittle to us humans, but the amazing arrangement structure of 
the snail shell is actually 3,000 times stronger then if it were its individual minerals.  

b.     How does the biological artifact work?

• Carries a protective shell that is considered part of the body where the important organs are.
• Uses secreted mucus to prevent cuts from sharp terrain by reducing friction
• Mucus is also used to climb vertically and also to stick onto surfaces vertically and even upside down.
• Have both male and female reproductive organ to improve reproductivity (hermaphrodites)
• They have lots of small and strong teeth to be able to chew on calcium carbonate stone

Did you know? Every snail has more than 25,000 teeth while you and I only have 32 of them!

c.      What might the biological artifact’s “requirements” have been?

•  The ability to digest calcium carbonate and through its mantle, build layer and layer of it through years of growth makes nacre. It is known as the nature's strongest material known to human.
•  The body of snail is hydrophilic to attract water (Like a sponge!) in order to keep itself moist.
• The slime or mucus that is excreted by the snail is lubricate enough to crawl over rough terrain unharmed yet is adhesive properties allow it to stick on to the wall.
• Tentacles of the snails is very sensitive to touch and smell. It is the fastest moving part of the snail to react quickly when in touch with danger.

2.     Relate the biological artifact’s features to the artifact requirements listed in 1)c):
a.     List the biological artifact’s features (geometry, materials, mechanisms, etc)

• Very compact and carefully arranged calcium carbonate layer.
• Teeth on the radula directs food into the snails stomach.
• The sliding plate structure of the snail shell is able to shift forces applied to it.

Mushi Eating! Might need a microscope to see whats really happening there.

b.     How do the biological artifact’s features support the requirements?

3.     Form and Function

4.     Engineering Inspiration

a. Suggest a new product or process based upon what you’ve learned in 1-3 above

• New high quality bio-lubricant to replace motor oil
• Colour white roofs to reflect heat radiation
• Create bio-glass that combines features of biodegradable plastic and glass material

Notice how mushi is able to slide on the rough wood surface and turn upside down to hide from the glaring sun!

5.a. Do you think your product will work if it was manufactured?

Partially, because lubricants today are mainly based on oil which in turn isn’t eco-friendly. In countries with few environmental laws, motor oil is disposed directly into sewage systems and drains without any pretreatment at all. This ruins water treatment systems as well as poisons the environment. This is good reason to at least begin research and improve any exist products to match current market lubricant oils. 

This strong unbreakable glass can be manufactured by applying the right set of procedures on to the glass. Using computer programs that can model impacts on glass, the scientists designed their own system of paths. They used a laser to etch their configurations onto existing sheets of glass, and found that the glass with channels was 200 times tougher than before. This architecture can be implemented to glass at the stage of its manufacturing and these glassed can be used for heavy-duty applications.

5.b. Do you think you can raise funds to pay for manufacturing? How do you raise funds?

The amount of funds raised might only be enough for small operation. The best way to raise funds is to pitch your ideas to the public through websites such as Kickstarter. This makes raising funds easier as it follows a democratic process of voting with your money. By pitching the idea of a cheaper, biodegradable, nature inspired lubricant oil that will do minimal harm towards the environment.

5.c. Do you think many engineers explore solutions from nature into their inventions? 

Many great engineers in the past have used concepts and inspirations from nature in their inventions. This includes the invention of Velcro and the invention of Flight, which is all, based on observing nature and learning from animals. Today, more and more solutions are concern with sustainability. Engineers today should look into biomimicry to improve the current inventions today to adopt more sustainable traits for future generations to come. 

Besides, biomimicry also provides design methodologies and techniques to optimize engineering products and systems such as the re-derivation of Murray’s law, which in conventional form determined the optimum diameter of blood vessels, to provide simple equations 12for the pipe or tube diameter which gives a minimum mass engineering system.