Natural evolution
One of the most significant advances over the last few decades has been in the area of new materials. These includes metals and plastics, high strength fibres and those used in nanotechnology. This in turn has opened up a door into a whole new area of design that we earlier had probably never imagined we would want to open, let alone be able to. There is now a very common trend towards making products that mimic nature. Not just because we can, or for academic interest, but because for many applications it provides the best solution. For example, in the field of robotics many mechanisms now use tendon like materials and actuators rather than gears and motors. Robert Messler describes nanotechnology parts that will self-assemble, and there are lots of materials that are designed to selfheal. All attributes without which we would not have a leg to stand on. It is interesting that this trend is in direct opposition to the mechanisation that led to the industrial revolution and mass production. Then manual labour was ruthlessly discarded in favour of cast iron machines that mindlessly produced previous unprecedented quantities of goods. The machines are here to stay, but they are changing. They will never look like us but they are likely to incorporate many of our design features.

Clive Loughlin

Previously published in: Assembly Automation, Volume 23, Number 2, 2003  less