Abstract
This paper describes efforts towards generalizing biomimetic concept generation in engineering design. Biomimetic design fully or partially imitates or evokes some biological phenomenon. Nature has often inspired solutions to engineering problems. While biological phenomena hold a vast amount of ideas, a method for finding and using these ideas would make biomimetic innovation faster, easier and more accessible. The paper begins with a brief review of related research, recognition of engineering ideas in biological phenomena and advantages of the natural brand. Next presented are strategies for finding potential analogies in biological phenomena, including searching functionally across multiple levels of organization, from the molecule to the biosphere. Initial efforts at finding appropriate analogies are documented using an example in design for remanufacture.
