Bionics, which appeared in scientific circles in the second half of the twentieth century? Bionics is based on observation materials of natural systems for the creation of modern technologies on their basis.

The word "bionics" translated from English means "knowledge of living organisms." Its main task (as mentioned earlier) is to identify the patterns of living nature and apply them in the system of human activity. For the first time, the problems of bionics, its goals and functions were identified at the Daytona symposium in the USA. Then, in 1960, the assertion was boldly put forward that only biological mechanisms could be the true prototypes of technical development.

Main problems and tasks of bionics

1. Observation and study of the functions and characteristics of individual systems and organs of living organisms (for example, nervous system, heart or skin) to use the acquired knowledge as the basis for creating the latest technical achievements: vehicles, computing, etc.
2. Studying the bioenergetic potential of living organisms to create engines based on them that can act like muscles in order to save energy.
3. Research of biochemical synthesizing processes for the development of branches of chemistry to obtain new detergents and medications.

Relationship between bionics and other areas of human knowledge

"Bionics is considered link, laid between many technical (electronic, transport, information technologies) and natural sciences(medicine, biology, chemistry).”

Experts argue that combining the totality of existing knowledge into a certain unity for the purpose of its rational practical application– this is the most necessary process For modern world. Bionics appeared when specialization individual industries knowledge has intensified, depriving science of vital unity.

So bionics in biology is necessary component, allowing you to apply the acquired knowledge in its qualitative combination with mathematics, technology and chemistry. Establishing similar connections between information, technical and natural resources is an integral part of bionic research.

If in your broadly understood bionics is a means of “borrowing” brilliant ideas from nature for the latest scientific developments, then more in the narrow sense we can talk about this science as a very close connection between biology and aeronautics, cybernetics, materials science, construction, business, medicine, chemistry, architecture and even art. A bionic specialist must have excessive observation, as well as an analytical mind in order to be able to adequately compare existing and newly updated material through evolution and the technical capabilities provided by the development of mankind.

Continuing the conversation about the narrow meaning of bionics, we can talk about such a task as the development of the latest mining methods natural resources and minerals for use in production.

Despite the fact that bionics is the science of how to better and more rationally use what nature gives us, one of its fundamental functions is protection natural material as an inexhaustible source of resources and ideas for the continuous progress of society. To achieve this, bionic specialists use three main approaches.

1. Functional mathematical program approach (studying the diagram of the ongoing process, its structure, origins and results). This approach makes it possible to construct a new model using existing tools.
2. Physico-chemical approach (study biochemical processes). This approach provides researchers with the opportunity to synthesize new substances using established mechanisms.
3. Direct Application biological systems in the technology structure, called inverse modeling. If in previous approaches we were talking about the use of biological material to create new technical means, then here we can talk about solving problems and technical issues by searching for answers and necessary resources in a biological environment.

So, the best answer to the question of what the science of bionics studies is in the following way. Bionics is the search for ways, means and possibilities of communication biological aspects existence and technical progress in order to increase scientific progress and at the same time conserving existing natural resources.

BIONICS(Greek bios life + [electronics]) - a science that studies the possibilities of engineering technical application information-controlling and structural-energy principles implemented in living organisms. The emergence of B. was largely facilitated by the emergence of special requirements imposed by new fields of technology (rocket and space, aviation, medical instrument engineering, electronic engineering, computers, etc.) for miniature equipment and many parts that must have minimum dimensions (volume) and weight (weight) and energy consumption with maximum reliability. Many principles and designs satisfy such requirements, such as whole organism, as well as individual organs, tissues, cells, and, finally, biomolecules, biology occupies a borderline position between the biomedical and technical sciences. Scientific biol, the basis of biology, are the experimental and theoretical foundations of such sciences as physiology, especially the physiology of higher nervous activity, neuromuscular physiology, physiology of sensory organs; anatomy and histology, especially the morphology of the central and peripheral nervous system, pathways; biophysics, especially excitation biophysics, bioenergetics, biomechanics, as well as biochemistry, zoology, botany, general biology and cybernetics. Physico-technical scientific base B. serve as technical cybernetics, Molecular physics and physics solid, radio electronics, microelectronics, mechanics, hydraulics, theory of automatic control. The term “bionics” was proposed by D. Still in 1958. The official emergence of bionics as a science dates back to the end of 1960, when the first symposium on bionics was held in Daytona (USA), which was held under the slogan: “living prototypes - the key to new technology."

Already by the beginning of 1964, only one of the problems included in the range of tasks of the new science - modeling of pattern recognition processes (see) - more than 500 works had been published.

The emergence of cybernetics is inextricably linked with the emergence of new ideas about the commonality of control processes in machines, living organisms and society, which arose in the science of control in the forties of our century and took shape as a result of the work of N. Wiener in the form of a new science of control and communication - cybernetics ( cm.). This approach had specific value both for technology and for medical purposes. and biological sciences and attracted not only engineers and mathematicians, but also biologists. As a result, two new scientific directions: 1) biocybernetics, the purpose of the cut is to study information and control processes in living organisms, using the methods of cybernetics, and 2) bionics, the purpose of the cut is to study the possibilities of using the information and energy properties of biological objects, including structures and schemes of bioinformation systems in technology, with the aim of improving existing or creating new, more advanced technical systems.

In most leading studies, the biocybernetic and bionic approaches are usually so closely related that considering each of them separately loses its meaning, and they act as inseparable parts of a certain unified process of cognition, in which the bionic approach arises as a result of certain successes of the biocybernetic approach.

In turn, the success of the biocybernetic approach, for example, the “black box” method, is often due to the bionic, i.e., structural-energy, technically meaningful formulation of the problem in terms of implementation general hypotheses cybernetics.

Main directions of bionics

The properties of biological systems (see Biological system) are of interest to technology. Firstly, in terms of borrowing the information and control methods of living organisms when reacting to environmental changes, in order to develop appropriate behavioral acts that are a response to these changes. Secondly, in terms of borrowing structural and mechanical properties biol, systems. Thirdly, the use of chemicals is of interest. and energy processes occurring with high efficiency in these systems. The first aspect of interest in biological systems opens up new opportunities in the research and technical implementation of new principles and devices for information processing, the creation of new elements of automation systems and computing devices; the second - in the development of new types of designs of technical devices associated with structures and mechanical movements; the third is in the development of new technological processes and chemical apparatuses. production and development of new methods for converting chemicals. energy into electrical energy.

It is known that the ability of living organisms to respond very flexibly to changes in the environment is associated with the activity of analyzers - visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile, gustatory. Many tasks are successfully solved by analyzers of living organisms, for example, reading handwritten texts and human speech perception, very fine recognition of signals that different kinds living organisms exchange with each other, etc., are still far from being solved with the help of technical devices.

One of the mysterious features of many birds, fish and sea animals is their highly advanced navigational abilities. During seasonal migrations, these animals cover enormous distances, searching with high, as yet inexplicable accuracy. old places a habitat. The principles of obtaining and processing information in their navigation “devices” are undoubtedly of interest to technology.

The passive and active analyzers (locators) found in dolphins, whales, bats, some species of birds, butterflies and other animals are very advanced. To navigate in space, bats emit short pulses of ultrasonic frequency and estimate the return time of the echo. Bat locators are so advanced that they confidently maneuver in the dark between rows of tensioned wire and other obstacles. Numerous experiments conducted with bats show that when, during the process of active locating, a mass of bats simultaneously emits “screams” (ultrasonic signals), these signals apparently do not drown out each other, and the ultrasonic noise is of considerable strength has almost no effect on their behavior. These properties of natural locators can help in solving the problem of eliminating noise signals (both natural and artificially created) when designing new types of technical locators.

Some fish breeds living in conditions complete absence visibility, detect prey and navigate in space using an electrical system, which is essentially a locator special type. The stingray creates an electric field around its body, which changes as it moves in space. Based on changes in this field, perceived by special receptors, the fish orients itself and gets the opportunity to find and pursue prey. The study of such an electrical locator will make it possible to develop new analyzing devices, for example, for protection against submarines and their orientation under water.

Some animals have the ability to sense in advance the approach of environmental changes that are dangerous to them. Thus, jellyfish anticipate the approach of a storm several hours in advance, and certain species of fish anticipate an earthquake. Studying these properties of animals will help create devices that perform similar functions.

Biological systems have a large number of different analyzer sensors - converters of the energy of external stimuli (thermal, light, mechanical) into the energy of nerve impulses. By miniature. and sensitivity, these analyzers are still far superior to their technical counterparts. Thus, organs located on the legs of some insects make it possible to detect displacements of fractions of a micron. A rattlesnake's heat receptors register a temperature change of 0.001°. In biol systems there are also sensors of a fundamentally new type, such as sensors for taste and olfactory signals that can detect single molecules. The eel's olfactory apparatus, for example, is capable of detecting the presence of single molecules of alcohol that cannot be detected by highly sensitive methods of chemical analysis.

Technical information and control systems are superior in sensitivity and often in speed to biol systems, but are inferior to the latter in size, power consumption and reliability. One neuron occupies a volume of 10 -8 -10 -7 cm 3, the volume of the human brain is only 1000 cm 3, the brain consumes power of approx. 20 W and works without breaking down, on average approx. 585 thousand hours.

The power consumed by modern computers amounts to tens of kilowatts, and the trouble-free operation of the highest quality equipment is only calculated in hundreds of hours. Even if we focus on the most advanced developments, providing a bulk density of 10 3 -10 4 elements per 1 cm 3 and energy consumption of 1 mW/element, then in this case bulk density and the efficiency of biol systems will be several orders of magnitude higher. This allows us to hope for the development of new principles for further miniaturization of control system equipment and computers.

The listed properties of living organisms form the subject of research in the information-analyzing direction of bionics.

The second aspect of biology is the study of the possibilities of technical application of the structure and designs of biological systems, the study of mechanical, energetic and chemical. processes occurring in them.

In building cantilever structures mastered by man, the ratio of height to maximum diameter does not exceed 20-30, while in nature there are structures in which this ratio is significantly higher than 30 (eucalyptus trunk, palm tree, etc.).

Studying the body structures of fish and marine animals in terms of the hydrodynamic mechanisms of their movement in water can provide a lot of useful information for shipbuilding. Fish and sea animals use energy very sparingly and at the same time are capable of developing high speeds. Thus, the speed of a dolphin reaches 12-16 m/sec, the speed of flying fish is 18 m/sec (i.e. 65 km/h, which is equal to the speed of a courier train), and the speed of tuna is more than 30 m/sec.

The third important aspect of biology is the study of biochemical processes occurring in living nature from the point of view of efficiency, which can serve as a model for the development of new technological processes. In this aspect, research into the characteristics of heat and mass transfer processes and the thermodynamics of living organisms in populations and communities is just beginning. As an example, we can cite the processes of photosynthesis, the synthesis of acetic acid, the production of complete protein, the processing of wood into fats and proteins carried out by microorganisms in the intestines of termites, carried out by plants and microorganisms with high efficiency, etc. Interesting problems are also the study of the mechanisms of operation of biochemical sources of electricity; research of biochemical and bioenergetic processes in relation to the technology of processes and apparatus in chemistry. mechanical engineering.

All three considered aspects of bionics show how wide the possibilities for bionic research are.

The direction of research into information-analyzing devices of biological objects, which is developing most intensively in the present time, is in turn divided into a number of independent directions, the subject of which is:

General patterns of methods and devices for processing information in the nervous system; this includes modeling processes in a neuron, researching methods for encoding information on different levels, research of neural network models;

Information methods and devices in bioanalyzers and pattern recognition processes; This includes research into the mechanisms of receptor operation, the construction of models of various analyzer systems and the development of pattern recognition algorithms based on them, and the study of coding methods for the exchange of information between living organisms. In addition, the mechanisms of learning and adaptation, memory, ensuring reliability, compensatory functions of living organisms, as well as mechanisms that control the regeneration of organs in terms of creating self-healing technical devices are of interest to technology;

Regulatory systems that control the activities of individual autonomous subsystems of higher organisms, which represent separate homeostatic circuits, for example. circulatory system, respiratory system, oculomotor system, taking into account the features of the implemented principle of hierarchy in biol, systems that give great opportunities for borrowing in technical developments.

It should be noted that the success of bionic research cannot be ensured by a simple mechanical transfer of schemes developed by nature into technology.

In nature one can find many examples of solutions and properties of living organisms that are completely unsatisfactory to technology. It is enough to mention only that the normal functioning of biol systems is possible within narrow limits of temperature (0-70°) and pressure (0.7-3 kg/cm 2), and the speed of the elements of the nervous system is significantly lower than the speed of the technical elements. The time required to transfer a neuron from a non-excited state to an excited one is 10 -2 -10 -1 seconds, while for technical elements it reaches 10 -7 -10 -8 seconds. Because of this, the main attention is paid to the study and mastery of the principles of operation of the elements and systems of living organisms, which will make it possible, through the implementation of these principles on elements of a different physical nature, to obtain systems more advanced than those created in the process of evolution in living organisms.

Bionics research methods. The basis of most bionic and biocybernetic research, especially in the information direction, is the modeling method. The term “model in bionics” is often interpreted very broadly - from physical. a device that reproduces the functions of a modeled object and a mathematical model (or a computer program), up to the sum of logical representations that describe the object, i.e., an agreed system of facts and hypotheses about the essence of the system being studied (see Modeling).

Modeling of the mechanisms of work of certain departments of biol, the system is usually divided into stages: at the first stage, the study, systematization and comparison of existing physiol, data - results of morphol., electrophysiol are carried out. and psychophysiol, research and obtaining, if necessary, new data about the object. At the second stage, the development, based on the analysis of physiol, data of a cybernetic hypothesis about the work of the studied biol, system, i.e. such a hypothesis, includes a wide range of technical and mathematical information used modern science about management; finally, at the last stage, the developed hypothesis is tested, which can be done in two directions: firstly, through calculations on computers, physical or mathematical, and secondly, checking the compliance of the hypothesis objective reality through physiol. experiment.

Modeling of biol, systems in cybernetics and biology can be carried out using various methods. In the generalized methods of cybernetics, which are important for biology, the task is to obtain an algorithm that describes the operation of the modeled object, and the structure of the model is not required to be similar to the structure of the object. This method is a functional modeling method, or a “black box” method. The functional modeling method is based on psychophysiological and behavioral data about the object. In relation to biol problems, the “black box” method allows one to obtain a number of important data that allows one to choose one or another biol, the principle of constructing a technical system (discrete, analog). Another discrete-structural method, no less important for biology, models the principles and essence of the information-controlling neural mechanisms of a particular part of the brain. In this case, it is necessary to clarify both the discrete structure of the modeled object and the nature of the relationships between its elements (sets). Unlike the first method, this method uses a complex of fiziol, data obtained by psychophysiologists, morphologists and electrophysiologists.

Main results of bionics

One of the first results of B., introduced into technology in the field of borrowing the principles of bioanalyzers, was the development of the gyrotron - a device used instead of a gyroscope to stabilize aircraft. A study of some insects (butterflies, beetles) showed that they have club-shaped antennae that oscillate in a horizontal plane during flight. When the insect's body deviates, the ends of the antennae continue to oscillate in the same plane, which causes mechanical stress at the base of the antennae, affecting the nerve cells located here. Signals from them nerve fibers enter the central parts of the nervous system, which produce appropriate response signals to control the organs of the insect’s body, restoring its correct position in flight. The operating principle of this bioanalyzer is used in a technical device - a gyrotron, which is a tuning fork, the legs of which are driven in oscillatory motion electromagnet powered by alternating current. When the holder on which the tuning fork is mounted is rotated, a mechanical moment occurs at the base of the legs. The sensor responding to it sends a signal proportional to angle turning the holder. Gyrotrons are used in aircraft; further work is underway to improve them: increase sensitivity, service life, and reduce dimensions.

Another example is the construction of a ground speed meter for an airplane using the principle of the compound eye of insects (bees). The device consists of receivers located at the base of two tubes separated at a given angle in the vertical plane. To determine the speed of the aircraft relative to the ground, a certain point is fixed earth's surface first in one, then in another receiver. Knowing the time interval between the appearance of the selected point in the first and second receivers and the altitude of the aircraft above the ground, it is easy to determine the speed.

Observations of the behavior of bees allowed us to put forward a hypothesis about the orientation of some species of birds and insects by the polarized radiation of the sun, using the fact that light rays coming from the sun are polarized differently when the sun is located at different heights above the horizon. These studies led to the creation of a solar compass, which makes it possible to navigate by the sun in the presence of clouds. A number of devices necessary for homing and location devices were proposed as a result of studying the mechanisms of functioning of the frog's eye. Based on a study of the properties of some marine organisms to capture infrasounds, instruments were built to signal the approach of a storm.

Structural and energy principles borrowed from biological objects have also found application in technology. Thus, the use of cetacean contour shapes for the construction of ships made it possible to obtain a gain in power power plants up to 40%. Another example is the way penguins travel on snow, which is used to build a new all-terrain vehicle for the polar regions.

An interesting result is an attempt to use certain types of microorganisms to create electrical sources current

Most significant results information direction B. consist, firstly, in the development of models of single nerve cells, models of sections of neural networks and entire sections of the nervous system - analyzers and, secondly, in the development of learning machines and algorithms for pattern recognition based on these models. Several hundred neuron models have been developed, varying in the number and complexity of reproducible neuron properties. Some developments are essentially complex adaptive elements of a new type, created on the basis of ideas about a neuron, and are intended to create recognizing learning devices. The successes achieved in the development of models of the analyzing parts of the brain are associated with the formulation of the principle of lateral inhibitory interaction, known in physiology, between the elements of the projection parts of the nervous system and the development of the theory of detectors as the main mechanism of operation of the analyzers. According to this theory, the process of perceiving a particular stimulus is the result of the selection of certain simple signs this stimulus through a set of specially organized ensembles of neurons - detectors. For example, when analyzing a visual image, detectors of the boundary of dark and light areas, curvature detectors, detectors of straight lines of a certain direction, detectors of the intersection of straight lines, etc. were discovered. In the course of evolution in animals, the functions of detectors become more complex, motion detectors with a certain speed, detectors movement in a certain direction. Based on the theory of detectors, model ideas about the work of the visual and auditory analyzers, explaining a number of properties of auditory and visual perception.

Recognition and learning devices created on the basis of bionic research are, of course, still very imperfect, and their creation should be considered as the first steps in this area. Nevertheless, devices have already been created to recognize the simplest pictures, to recognize a limited set of words (about 300), adaptive autopilots and self-adjusting filters have been developed to isolate an arbitrary-shaped signal from a background of noise. The creation of perfect learning recognition devices will have great importance not only for technology, but also for biology and medicine, and especially for medical technology, biotelemetry, biophysics.

Such devices will find application in cytology, histology, microbiology, radiology and other areas of biology and medicine.

In the mid-70s, in connection with the development of laser technology (see Optical quantum generator) and the development of holography (see), there was a revision of the role of cybernetics and biology in the development of technical information-analyzing systems.

Research institutions where research on bionics is carried out: USSR - state universities: Dnepropetrovsk, Vilnius, Rostov, Leningrad, Moscow; institutes of biophysics (Moscow), control problems (Moscow), brain (Moscow), radio electronics (Kharkov), cybernetics (Kyiv), automation and electrometry of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences; USA - universities: Stanford, Harvard, Columbia, Illinois, California; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; England - universities: Birmingham, Celtic, Cambridge; Germany - Max Planck Institute; GDR - Higher technical school(Ilmenau), Institute of Cybernetics and Information Processes; Poland - Institute of Applied Cybernetics, Polytechnic Institute (Warsaw); Bulgaria - Institute of Technical Cybernetics; Czechoslovakia - Institute of Information Theory and Automation. Work on biochemistry is discussed at regularly convened conferences. In the USSR the following are held: All-Union conferences on bionics (Moscow), All-Union conferences on neurocybernetics (Rostov-on-Don); in the USA: national symposiums on bionics; in Germany: congresses on cybernetics; international congresses: on cybernetics (Namur), but medical cybernetics (Amsterdam), on biocybernetics (Leipzig), on automatic regulation (IFAC).

generally accepted curricula There is no training for specialists in the field of biology, but a number of universities and universities have organized special courses and conducted student research work. These include Dnepropetrovsk, Vilnius, Rostov, Leningrad, Moscow universities; Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 1st Moscow Medical Institute, Leningrad Polytechnic Institute.

Bibliography: Bionics, ed. A. I. Berga et al., M., 1965; Bionics, Bibliographic index of Russian and foreign literature 1958 - 1968, comp. T. N. Anisimova, M., 1971; Bongard M. M. Problem of recognition, M., 1967; Wiener N. Cybernetics and society, trans. from English, M., 1958; Glezer V. D. Recognition mechanisms visual images, M.-L., 1966, bibliogr.; Deitch S. Models of the nervous system, trans. from English, M., 1970, bibliogr.; Gerardin L. Bionics, trans. from French, M., 1971; Mil-sum D. Analysis of biological control systems, trans. from English, M., 1968, bibliogr.; Pozin N.V. Modeling of neural structures, M., 1970, bibliogr.

I. A. Lyubinsky.

Creating a model in bionics- that's half the battle. To solve a specific practical problem It is necessary not only to check the presence of the model properties that are of interest to practice, but also to develop methods for calculating predetermined technical characteristics of the device, and to develop synthesis methods that ensure the achievement of the indicators required in the problem.

And that's why many bionic models, before they receive technical implementation, begin their life on a computer. A mathematical description of the model is constructed. A computer program is compiled from it - bionic model. Using such a computer model, various parameters can be processed in a short time and design flaws can be eliminated.

That's right, based on software modeling, as a rule, analyze the dynamics of the functioning of the model; As for the special technical construction of the model, such work is undoubtedly important, but their target load is different. The main thing in them is to find the best basis on which the necessary properties of the model can be recreated more efficiently and accurately. Accumulated in bionics practical experience modeling extremely complex systems has general scientific significance. A huge number of its heuristic methods, absolutely necessary in works of this kind, have already become widespread for solving important tasks experimental and technical physics, economic problems, problems of designing multi-stage branched communication systems, etc.

Today bionics has several directions.

Architectural and construction bionics studies the laws of formation and structure formation of living tissues, analyzes the structural systems of living organisms on the principle of saving material, energy and ensuring reliability. Neurobionics studies the functioning of the brain and explores the mechanisms of memory. The sensory organs of animals, the internal mechanisms of reaction to environment both in animals and plants.

A striking example of architectural and construction bionics is a complete analogy of the structure of cereal stems and modern high-rise buildings. The stems of cereal plants are able to withstand heavy loads without breaking under the weight of the inflorescence. If the wind bends them to the ground, they quickly restore their vertical position. What's the secret? It turns out that their structure is similar to the design of modern high-rise factory pipes - one of the latest achievements of engineering. Both structures are hollow. The sclerenchyma strands of the plant stem act as longitudinal reinforcement. The internodes of the stems are rings of stiffness. There are oval vertical voids along the walls of the stem. The pipe walls have the same design solution. The role of a spiral reinforcement placed at the outside of the pipe in the stem of cereal plants is played by a thin skin. However, the engineers came to their constructive solution on their own, without “looking” into nature. The identity of the structure was revealed later.

In recent years, bionics has confirmed that most human inventions have already been “patented” by nature. The invention of the 20th century, such as zippers and Velcro, was made based on the structure of a bird's feather. Feather beards of various orders, equipped with hooks, provide reliable grip.

Famous Spanish architects M. R. Cervera and J. Ploz, active adherents of bionics, began research on “dynamic structures” in 1985, and in 1991 they organized the “Society for Supporting Innovation in Architecture.” A group under their leadership, which included architects, engineers, designers, biologists and psychologists, developed the “Vertical Bionic Tower City” project. In 15 years, a tower city should appear in Shanghai (according to scientists, in 20 years the population of Shanghai could reach 30 million people). The tower city is designed for 100 thousand people, the project is based on the “principle of wood construction”.

The city tower will have the shape of a cypress tree with a height of 1128 m with a girth at the base of 133 by 100 m, and at the widest point 166 by 133 m. The tower will have 300 floors, and they will be located in 12 vertical blocks of 80 floors. Between the blocks there are screed floors, which act as a supporting structure for each block level. Inside the blocks there are houses of different heights with vertical gardens. This elaborate design is similar to the structure of the branches and entire crown of the cypress tree. The tower will stand on a pile foundation according to the accordion principle, which is not buried, but develops in all directions as it gains height - similar to how the root system of a tree develops. Wind fluctuations on the upper floors are minimized: air easily passes through the tower structure. To cover the tower, a special plastic material will be used that imitates the porous surface of leather. If construction is successful, it is planned to build several more such building-cities.

In architectural and construction bionics great attention is devoted to new construction technologies. For example, in the field of development of efficient and waste-free construction technologies promising direction is the creation of layered structures. The idea is borrowed from deep-sea mollusks. Their durable shells, such as those of the widespread abalone, consist of alternating hard and soft plates. When a hard plate cracks, the deformation is absorbed by the soft layer and the crack does not go further. This technology can also be used to cover cars.

The main areas of neurobionics are the study of the nervous system of humans and animals and the modeling of nerve cells-neurons and neural networks. This makes it possible to improve and develop electronic and computer technology.

The nervous system of living organisms has a number of advantages over the most modern analogues invented by man:

Flexible perception external information, regardless of the form in which it comes (handwriting, font, color, timbre, etc.).

High reliability: technical systems They fail when one or more parts break down, and the brain remains functional even when even several hundred thousand cells die.

Miniature. For example, a transistor device with the same number of elements as the human brain would occupy a volume of about 1000 m3, while our brain occupies a volume of 1.5 dm3.

Energy efficiency - the difference is simply obvious.

A high degree of self-organization - quick adaptation to new situations and changes in activity programs.

Eiffel Tower and tibia

For the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution, a world exhibition was organized in Paris. On the territory of this exhibition it was planned to erect a tower that would symbolize the greatness French Revolution, and the latest advances in technology. More than 700 projects were submitted to the competition; the best was recognized as the project of bridge engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel. At the end of the 19th century, the tower, named after its creator, amazed the whole world with its openwork and beauty. The 300-meter tower has become a kind of symbol of Paris. There were rumors that the tower was built according to the drawings of an unknown Arab scientist. And only after more than half a century, biologists and engineers made an unexpected discovery: the design Eiffel Tower exactly repeats the structure of the tibia, which can easily withstand the weight of the human body. Even the angles between the load-bearing surfaces coincide. This is another good example bionics In action.

Man has adopted a lot from nature, if not everything. The ability to make a fire, hide in a hole from bad weather, store food in reserve, camouflage with the environment and many other things that we have known about for so long that we no longer even think about their appearance in our lives.

But there is a whole science– bionics – the goal of which is to make the human world even more convenient, using technology created by spying on living nature.

Leonardo da Vinci is considered the father of bionics. It was he who, for the first time, decided to make a flying machine, inspired by the flight of birds. Before him there was also Icarus, described in ancient Greek myths. But this is more of a dream, but the legendary inventor decided to make it come true. His drawings with all sorts of diagrams for the device of the flywheel have survived to this day. True, his invention never took off, but the first step was taken. And the official birth of bionics as a science occurred in 1960. Then the first symposium on this topic took place.

Since then, thanks to bionics, many wonderful things have appeared in our lives. The most interesting of them:

The design of the famous Eiffel Tower, the symbol of Paris, is based on the principle of the structure of human bones. The architect Eiffel took his idea from scientific works Professor of Anatomy Hermann von Meyer, who studied the structure of the skeleton.

The Velcro fastener is also inspired by nature. George de Mestral often walked with his dog. He loved his pet, but was very irritated when he had to comb the cocklebur thorns out of his fur. Deciding to study this plant in more detail and get rid of his problem, the engineer came up with one of the most convenient fastening methods.

Modern high-rise buildings, in which most of us live, exactly copy the structure of the stems of cereals.

Stulnikov Maxim

Research work on the topic "Bionics - the science of the greatest possibilities"

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Regional scientific and practical conference

within the framework of the regional youth forum

"The future is us!"

Natural science direction (physics, biology)

Research work on the topic

"Bionics - the science of the greatest possibilities"

Municipal Budgetary Educational Institution "Organized School No. 7" in Petrovsk, Saratov Region

Leaders:

Filyanina Olga Alexandrovna,

Chemistry and Biology Teacher

Gerasimova Natalya Anatolevna,

Teacher of mathematics and physics,

Petrovsk

April 2014

1. Introduction pp. 3-4
2. From antiquity to modernity. pp. 5-6
3. Bionics sections:

3.1. architectural and construction bionics; pp. 6-8

3.2. biomechanics; pp.8-12

3.3. neurobionics. pp.13-14

4. Great little things, “seen from nature.” pp. 14-15

5. Conclusion page 16

6. Literature and used Internet resources. page 16

Bird -

Active

According to the mathematical law

tool,

To do which,

in human power...

Leonardo da Vinci.

Would you like to fly over cars in one jump, move like Spider-Man, spot enemies several kilometers away and bend steel beams with your hands? We must assume that yes, but, alas, this is unrealistic. It's unrealistic for now...

Since the creation of the world, man has been interested in many things: why water is wet, why day follows night, why we smell the scent of flowers, etc. Naturally, man tried to find an explanation for this. But the more he learned, the more questions arose in his mind: can a person fly like a bird, swim like a fish, how do animals “know” about the approach of a storm, about an impending earthquake, about an upcoming volcanic eruption, is it possible to create artificial intelligence?

There are a lot of “why” questions; often these questions are not interpreted scientifically, giving rise to fiction and superstition. To do this you need to have good knowledge in many areas: physics and chemistry, astronomy and biology, geography and ecology, mathematics and technology, medicine and space.

Is there a science that would combine everything and be able to combine the incongruous? It turns out that it exists!

Item my research - the science of bionics - “ BIO Logia” and “Tech NIKA”.

Purpose of the research work:the need for the emergence of the science of bionics, its capabilities and limits of applicability.

To do this, you can put a row tasks:

1. Find out what “bionics” is.

2. Trace the history of the development of the science of “Bionics”: from antiquity to modernity and its relationship with other sciences.

3. Identify the main sections of bionics.

4. What we need to thank nature for: the open possibilities and mysteries of bionics.

Research methods:

Theoretical:

- study of scientific articles, literature on the topic.

Practical:

Observation;

Generalization.

Practical significance.

I think that my work will be useful and interesting to a wide range of students and teachers, since we all live in nature according to the laws that it created. A person must only skillfully master knowledge in order to translate into technology all the hints of nature and reveal its secrets.

From antiquity to modern times

Bionics, an applied science that studies the possibility of combining living organisms and technical devices, is developing at a very rapid pace today.

The desire to have abilities superior to those given to us by nature sits deep inside every person - any fitness trainer or plastic surgeon. Our bodies have incredible adaptability, but there are some things they can't do. For example, we do not know how to talk to those who are out of earshot, we are not able to fly. That's why we need telephones and airplanes. To compensate for their imperfections, people have long used various “external” devices, but with the development of science, the tools gradually became smaller and became closer to us.

In addition, everyone knows that if something happens to his body, doctors will carry out “repairs” using the most modern medical technologies.

If we put these two simple concepts together, we can get an idea of next step human evolution. In the future, doctors will not only be able to restore “damaged” or “out of order” organisms, they will begin to actively improve people, making them stronger and faster than nature managed. This is precisely the essence of bionics, and today we stand on the threshold of the emergence of a new type of person. Perhaps one of us will become it...

Leonardo da Vinci is considered the progenitor of bionics. His drawings and diagrams of aircraft were based on the structure of a bird's wing. In our time, according to the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci, modeling was repeatedly carried out ornithoptera (from Greek órnis, gender órnithos - bird and pterón - wing), flywheel , a heavier-than-air aircraft with flapping wings). Among living creatures, birds, for example, use flapping movements of their wings to fly.

Among modern scientists, one can name the name of Osip M.R. Delgado.

With the help of his radio-electronic devices, he studied the neurological and physical characteristics of animals. And on their basis I tried to develop algorithms for controlling living organisms.

Bionics (from the Greek Biōn - element of life, literally - living), a science bordering biology and technology, solving engineering problems based on modeling the structure and vital functions of organisms. Bionics is closely related to biology, physics, chemistry, cybernetics and engineering sciences– electronics, navigation, communications, maritime affairs, etc. /BSE.1978/

The formal year of birth of bionics is considered to be 1960 Bionic scientists chose a scalpel and a soldering iron, connected by an integral sign, as their emblem, and their motto is “Living prototypes are the key to new technology».

Many bionic models, before they receive technical embodiment, they begin their life on a computer, where a computer program is compiled - a bionic model.

Today bionics has several directions.

Bionics sections

1. Architectural and construction bionics.

A striking example of architectural and construction bionics - completeanalogy of the structure of cereal stemsand modern high-rise buildings. The stems of cereal plants are able to withstand heavy loads without breaking under the weight of the inflorescence. If the wind bends them to the ground, they quickly restore their vertical position. What's the secret? It turns out that their structure is similar to the design of modern high-rise buildings. factory pipes - one of the latest achievements of engineering thought.

Famous Spanish architects M.R. Cervera and H. Ploz, active adherents of bionics, began research in 1985 “ dynamic structures”, and in 1991 they organized the “Society for Supporting Innovation in Architecture”. A group under their leadership, which included architects, engineers, designers, biologists and psychologists, developed the project “Vertical bionic tower city" In 15 years, a tower city should appear in Shanghai (according to scientists, in 20 years the population of Shanghai could reach 30 million people). The tower city is designed for 100 thousand people, the project is based on the “principle of wood construction”.

The tower city will have the shape cypress 1128 m high with a girth at the base of 133 by 100 m, and at the widest point 166 by 133 m. The tower will have 300 floors, and they will be located in 12 vertical blocks of 80 floors.

For the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution, a world exhibition was organized in Paris. On the territory of this exhibition it was planned to erect a tower that would symbolize both the greatness of the French Revolution and latest achievements technology. More than 700 projects were submitted to the competition; the best was recognized as the project of bridge engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel. At the end of the 19th century, the tower, named after its creator, amazed the whole world with its openwork and beauty. The 300-meter tower has become a kind of symbol of Paris. There were rumors that the tower was built according to the drawings of an unknown Arab scientist. And only after more than half a century, biologists and engineers made an unexpected discovery: the design Eiffel Tower exactly repeats the structure of the big one tibia , easily withstanding the weight human body. Even the angles between the load-bearing surfaces coincide. This is another one illustrative example bionics in action.

In architectural and construction bionics, much attention is paid to new construction technologies. For example, in the field of development of efficient and waste-free construction technologies, a promising direction is the creationlayered structures. The idea was borrowed fromdeep sea mollusks. Their durable shells, such as those of the widespread abalone, consist of alternating hard and soft plates. When a hard plate cracks, the deformation is absorbed by the soft layer and the crack does not go further. This technology can also be used to cover cars.

2. Biomechanics

Nature locators. Live barometers and seismographs.

The most advanced research in bionics is the development of biological means of detection, navigation and orientation; a set of studies related to modeling the functions and structures of the brain of higher animals and humans; creation of bioelectric control systems and research on the "man-machine" problem. These areas are closely related to each other. Why is nature so far ahead of man at the current level of technological development?

It has long been known that birds, fish, and insects react very sensitively and accurately to weather changes. The low flight of swallows foreshadows a thunderstorm. By the accumulation of jellyfish near the shore, fishermen will know that they can go fishing, the sea will be calm.

Animals - "biosynoptics"by nature are endowed with unique ultra-sensitive “devices”. The task of bionics is not only to find these mechanisms, but also to understand their action and recreate it in electronic circuits, devices, structures.

The study of the complex navigation system of fish and birds, covering thousands of kilometers during migrations and unerringly returning to their places for spawning, wintering, and raising chicks, contributes to the development of highly sensitive tracking, guidance and object recognition systems.

Many living organisms have analytical systems that humans do not have. For example, grasshoppers have a tubercle on the 12th antennal segment that senses infrared radiation. Sharks and rays have channels on the head and in the front of the body that perceive temperature changes of 0.10 C. Snails, ants and termites have devices that perceive radioactive radiation. Many react to changes in the magnetic field (mainly birds and insects making long-distance migrations). Owls, bats, dolphins, whales and most insects perceive infra- and ultrasonic vibrations. A bee's eyes react to ultraviolet light, a cockroach's to infrared.

The rattlesnake's heat-sensitive organ detects temperature changes of 0.0010 C; the electrical organ of fish (rays, electric eels) perceives potentials of 0.01 microvolts, the eyes of many nocturnal animals react to single quanta of light, fish sense a change in the concentration of a substance in water of 1 mg/m3 (=1 µg/l).

There are many more systems of orientation in space, the structure of which has not yet been studied: bees and wasps are well oriented by the sun, male butterflies (for example, night peacock eye, death's head hawk moth, etc.) find a female at a distance of 10 km. Sea turtles and many fish (eels, sturgeon, salmon) swim several thousand kilometers from their native shores and unmistakably return to lay eggs and spawn to the same place where they began their life path. It is assumed that they have two orientation systems - distant, by the stars and the sun, and near, by smell (the chemistry of coastal waters).

Bats, as a rule, are small and, let's be honest, for many of us unpleasant and even repulsive creatures. But it just so happened to treat them with prejudice, the basis of which, as a rule, is various kinds legends and beliefs that developed back when people believed in spirits and evil spirits.

The bat is a unique object for bioacoustics scientists. She can navigate completely freely in complete darkness, without bumping into obstacles. Moreover, having poor eyesight, a bat detects and catches small insects on the fly, distinguishes a flying mosquito from a speck rushing in the wind, an edible insect from a tasteless ladybug.

For the first time this unusual ability The Italian scientist Lazzaro Spallanzani became interested in bats in 1793. At first he tried to find out in what ways various animals find their way in the dark. He managed to establish: owls and other nocturnal creatures see well in the dark. True, in complete darkness they too, as it turns out, become helpless. But when he began experimenting with bats, he discovered that such complete darkness was not a hindrance for them. Then Spallanzani went further: he simply deprived several bats of their sight. And what? This did not change anything in their behavior; they were just as excellent at hunting insects as sighted people. Spallanzani became convinced of this when he opened the stomachs of experimental mice.

Interest in the mystery grew. Especially after Spallanzani became acquainted with the experiments of the Swiss biologist Charles Jurin, who in 1799 came to the conclusion that bats can do without vision, but any serious hearing damage is fatal for them. As soon as they plugged their ears with special copper tubes, they began to blindly and randomly bump into all the obstacles that appeared in their path. Along with this, a number of different experiments have shown that disturbances in the functioning of the organs of vision, touch, smell and taste do not have any effect on the flight of bats.

Spallanzani's experiments were undoubtedly impressive, but they were clearly ahead of their time. Spallanzani could not answer the main and quite scientifically correct question: if not hearing or vision, then what, in this case, helps bats navigate so well in space?

At that time, they knew nothing about ultrasound, or that animals could have some other organs (systems) of perception, not just ears and eyes. By the way, it was in this spirit that some tried to explain scientific experiments Spallanzani: they say that bats have a subtle sense of touch, the organs of which are located, most likely, in the membranes of their wings...

The end result was that Spallanzani’s experiments were forgotten for a long time. Only in our time, more than a hundred years later, the so-called “spallanzanian problem of bats,” as scientists themselves dubbed it, was resolved. This became possible thanks to the emergence of new electronics-based research tools.

Harvard University physicist G. Pierce was able to discover that bats produce sounds that lie beyond the threshold of audibility of the human ear.

Aerodynamic elements.

The founder of modern aerodynamics N. E. Zhukovsky carefully studied the flight mechanism of birds and the conditions that allow them to soar in the air. Based on the study of bird flight, aviation emerged.

Insects have even more advanced flying machines in nature. In terms of flight efficiency, relative speed and maneuverability they have no equal in living nature. The idea of ​​creation aircraft, which would be based on the principle of insect flight, is awaiting its permission. To prevent harmful vibrations from occurring during flight, fast-flying insects have chitinous thickenings at the ends of their wings. Aircraft designers now use similar devices for aircraft wings, thereby eliminating the danger of vibration.

Jet propulsion.

Jet propulsion, used in airplanes, rockets and spacecraft, is also characteristic of cephalopods - octopuses, squids, cuttlefish. The squid's jet propulsion is of greatest interest to technology. In essence, the squid has two fundamentally different propulsion mechanisms. When moving slowly, it uses a large diamond-shaped fin that periodically bends. For a quick throw, the animal uses a jet propulsion. Muscle tissue - the mantle surrounds the mollusk's body on all sides, its volume making up almost half the volume of its body. With the jet swimming method, the animal sucks water into the mantle cavity through the mantle gap. The movement of the squid is created by throwing out a stream of water through a narrow nozzle (funnel). This nozzle is equipped with a special valve, and the muscles can rotate it, thereby changing the direction of movement. The squid's propulsion system is very economical, thanks to which it can reach speeds of 70 km/h, some researchers believe even up to 150 km/h.

Hydroplane The body shape is similar to a dolphin. The glider is beautiful and rides quickly, having the ability to naturally play in the waves like a dolphin, waving its fin. The body is made of polycarbonate. The motor is very powerful. The first such dolphin was built by Innespace in 2001.

During the First World War English fleet carried huge losses because of German submarines. It was necessary to learn how to detect and track them. Special devices have been created for this purpose. hydrophones. These devices were supposed to find submarines enemy by the noise of propellers. They were installed on ships, but while the ship was moving, the movement of water at the hydrophone receiving hole created noise that drowned out the noise of the submarine. Physicist Robert Wood suggested that engineers learn... from seals, who hear well when moving in water. As a result, the receiving hole of the hydrophone was shaped auricle seal, and the hydrophones began to “hear” even at full speed of the ship.

3. Neurobionics.

What boy wouldn't be interested in playing robots or watching a movie about the Terminator or Wolverine? The most dedicated bionicists are the engineers who design robots. There is a point of view that in the future robots will be able to function effectively only if they are as similar to humans as possible. Developers of bionics proceed from the fact that robots will have to function in urban and domestic conditions, that is, in a “human” environment with stairs, doors and other obstacles of a specific size. Therefore, at a minimum, they must correspond to a person in size and in terms of movement principles. In other words, the robot must have legs, and wheels, tracks, etc. are not at all suitable for the city. And who should we copy the design of legs from, if not animals? A miniature, about 17 cm long, six-legged robot (hexapod) from Stanford University already runs at a speed of 55 cm/sec.

An artificial heart has been created from biological materials. New scientific discovery could end the shortage of donor organs.

A group of researchers from the University of Minnesota is trying to create a fundamentally new method of treating 22 million people - that's how many people in the world live with heart disease. Scientists were able to remove muscle cells from the heart, preserving only the frame of the heart valves and blood vessels. New cells were transplanted into this frame.

Triumph of bionics - artificial hand. Scientists from the Institute of Rehabilitation of Chicago managed to create a bionic prosthesis that allows the patient not only to control the hand with thoughts, but also to recognize certain sensations. The owner of the bionic hand was Claudia Mitchell, a former military officer. navy USA. In 2005, Mitchell was injured in an accident. Surgeons had to amputate left hand Mitchell up to his shoulder. As a result, nerves that could have been used to control the prosthesis were left unused.

Great little things “seen from nature”

The famous borrowing was made by the Swiss engineer George de
Mestral in 1955. He often walked with his dog and noticed that some strange plants were constantly sticking to its fur. Having studied the phenomenon, de Mestral determined that it was possible thanks to small hooks on the fruits of the cocklebur (burdock). As a result, the engineer realized the importance of his discovery and eight years later he patented a convenient “Velcro.”

Suckers were invented while studying octopuses.

Soft drink manufacturers are constantly looking for new ways to package their products. At the same time, an ordinary apple tree solved this problem long ago. An apple is 97% water, packed not in wood cardboard, but in an edible peel that is appetizing enough to attract animals to eat the fruit and distribute the grains.

Spider threads, an amazing creation of nature, have attracted the attention of engineers. The web was the prototype for the construction of a bridge on long flexible cables, thereby marking the beginning of the construction of strong, beautiful suspension bridges.

Now developed new type weapons capable of putting enemy troops into shock using ultrasound. This principle of influence was borrowed from tigers. The roar of a predator contains ultra-low frequencies, which, although not perceived by humans as sound, have a paralytic effect on them.

The scarifier needle is used for drawing blood, designed according to the principle that completely replicates the structure of the incisor tooth bat, whose bite is painless and accompanied by severe bleeding.

The piston syringe familiar to us imitates the blood-sucking apparatus - mosquito and fleas, the bite of which every person is familiar with.

Fluffy “parachutes” slow down the fall of dandelion seeds to the ground, just like a parachute slows down a person’s fall.

Conclusion.

The potential of bionics is truly limitless...

Humanity is trying to take a closer look at the methods of nature in order to then wisely use them in technology. Nature is like a huge engineering bureau, which is always ready the right way out from any situation. Modern man should not destroy nature, but take it as a model. With its diversity of flora and fauna, nature can help man find the right technical solution complex issues and a way out of any situation.

It was very interesting for me to work on this topic. In the future, I will continue to work on studying the achievements of bionics.

NATURE AS A STANDARD – AND THERE IS BIONICS!

Literature:

1. Bionics. V. Martek, ed.: Mir, 1967

2. What is bionics. Series "Popular Science Library". Astashenkov P.T. M., Voenizdat, 1963

3. Architectural bionics Yu.S. Lebedev, V.I. Rabinovich and others. Moscow, Stroyizdat, 1990. 4.

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