Descrizione del progetto
Meccanismi di filtrazione biologica: esplorare la diversità della natura per una progettazione naturale
La bioispirazione (che include la biomimetica e il biomimetismo) sviluppa nuovi materiali, dispositivi e applicazioni ispirati a strutture e strategie biologiche. Tuttavia, il principale ostacolo che impedisce a questo campo di raggiungere i suoi obiettivi deriva dalle differenze negli strumenti, nelle pratiche e nei punti di vista dei suoi operatori. Il progetto Nature4Nature, finanziato dall’UE, riunisce quindi biologi, ingegneri, progettisti e produttori per formare ricercatori in fase iniziale di carriera in un ambiente di apprendimento che collega gli aspetti dell’ispirazione, dell’integrazione e dell’implementazione del processo di bioispirazione al fine di intraprendere sfide concettuali, metodologiche e pratiche. A tal fine, il progetto si concentrerà collettivamente sui meccanismi di filtrazione biologica per esplorare, testare e progettare sistemi di filtrazione ad alto rendimento e resistenti agli intasamenti, che potrebbero in ultima analisi alleviare gli attuali problemi degli ambienti acquatici.
Obiettivo
Nature provides an almost inexhaustible source of inspiration for innovative designs that may help to tackle many of the world’s current social, economic and environmental challenges. In accordance, the potential of bioinspiration (including biomimetics and biomimicry) has become widely recognized in academia and industry. The main hurdle preventing the field of bioinspiration from delivering its promises, however, stems from differences in tools, practices and viewpoints of its practitioners, often obstructing further development towards successful products. Nature4Nature, a unique joint effort of biologists, engineers, designers and manufacturers, will immerse early stage researchers (ESRs) in a learning environment that fully spans the inspiration, integration and implementation aspects of bioinspired design to tackle the conceptual, methodological and practical challenges. It will provide ESRs (a) with a mindset and know-how to harness biodiversity into design; (b) with the theoretical background and practical skills for transferring biological model systems into engineering designs and applications; and (c) with an attitude and competence to implement bioinspired ideas in an explicit sustainable way. Nature4Nature will focus its research activities onto one model system: how to efficiently separate solid particles from liquids. Biological filtration systems have evolved repeatedly over the earth’s living history. Nature4Nature will teach ESRs to make the most of this rich heritage, using it as an inspiratory source for designing and manufacturing high-throughput, clog-resisting filtering systems that can help conserving and restoring the world’s aquatic habitats. By fostering a new generation of researchers operating at the interface between scientific disciplines, sectors and societal actors, Nature4Nature sets out to spur innovative practices and will aid in overcoming the barriers to implementation of bioinspiration in the design process.
Campo scientifico
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiological morphologycomparative morphology
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwater treatment processeswastewater treatment processes
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiological morphologyfunctional morphology
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesclassical mechanicsfluid mechanicsfluid dynamicscomputational fluid dynamics
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringmanufacturing engineeringadditive manufacturing
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Meccanismo di finanziamento
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-DN - HORIZON TMA MSCA Doctoral NetworksCoordinatore
2000 Antwerpen
Belgio