2021 Faculty Courses School of Engineering Department of Mechanical Engineering Graduate major in Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Biomimetics
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Mechanical Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Hiroto Tanaka
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Fri
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- MEC.I531
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2021
- Offered quarter
- 4Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
Biomimetics is the concept of understanding the structure of organisms and the functions and principles of systems to reconfigure them artificially in order to solve complex problems of human society and technology. This academic discipline requires interdisciplinary knowledge spanning biology, mechanical engineering, chemistry, and sociology. The instructor in this course explains the mechanical engineering aspect of biomimetics using specific research cases. The instructor will especially focus on mechanism of flying and swimming and micro- and nano-scale structures centered on insects to explain typical biological structures, principles, measuring devices, and production techniques.
Course description and aims
Through this course, students will acquire diverse biological and engineering knowledge required for mechanical biomimetics at an introductory level.
Keywords
Biomimetics, Biomechanics, Fluid dynamics, Micro fabrication
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Classroom lecture using PowerPoint slides
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Overview of Biomimetics | NA |
| Class 2 | Flying I | NA |
| Class 3 | Flying II | NA |
| Class 4 | Swimming | NA |
| Class 5 | Adhesion and anti-adhesion | NA |
| Class 6 | Functional micro/nano surface structures: Lotus leaf, Morpho butterfly, and moth eye | NA |
| Class 7 | Mechanical and optical sensors | NA |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
NA
Reference books, course materials, etc.
A. Azuma, The Biokinetics of Flying and Swimming Second Edition, AIAA, 2006.
Other references will be introduced in the course.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Brief reports in every lecture and final report in the end of semester
Related courses
- MEC.L331 ： Basic Bioengineering
- MEC.J331 ： Fundamentals of Micro and Nano Machining
- MEC.F531 ： Flying Object Engineering
Prerequisites
NA
Contact information (e-mail and phone) Notice : Please replace from ”[at]” to ”@”(half-width character).
Associate Professor Hiroto Tanaka
tanaka.h.cb[at]m.titech.ac.jp