Towards Identifying Biological Research Articles in Computer-Aided Biomimetics

When solving engineering problems through biomimetic design, a lack of knowledge of biology often impedes the translation of biological ideas into engineering principles. Specific challenges are the identification, selection and abstraction of relevant biological information. The use of engineering terminology to search for relevant biological information is hypothesised to contribute to the adventitious character of biomimetics. Alternatively, a holistic approach is proposed where a division is made between the analysis of biological research papers and the decomposition of the engineering problem. The aim of a holisitic approach is to take into account the importance of context during analogical problem solving and provide a theoretical framework for the development of Computer-Aided Biomimetics (CAB) tools. Future work will focus on the development of tools that support engineers during the analysis of biological research papers and modelling of biological systems by providing relevant biological knowledge.