2024 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 (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Fri
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- MEC.I531
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 4Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 14, 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
Lecture using PowerPoint slides. Live online via Zoom.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Overview of Biomimetics | Short report |
| Class 2 | Adhesion and anti-adhesion: Gecko's feet | Short report |
| Class 3 | Functional micro/nano surface structures: Lotus leaf, Morpho butterfly, and moth eye | Short report |
| Class 4 | Mechanical and optical sensors: Haltere of a fly | Short report |
| Class 5 | Reduction of fluid drag: Shark skin | Short report |
| Class 6 | Animal gliding flight | Short report |
| Class 7 | Animal flapping flight | Short report |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To promote effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterward (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Not specified
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
Short report for every lecture and a final report at the end of the semester
Related courses
- MEC.L331 ： Basic Bioengineering
- MEC.J331 ： Fundamentals of Micro and Nano Machining
Prerequisites
Not specified
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