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Bionics is the application of biological methods and systems found in nature to the study and design of engineering systems and modern technology.〔(Twenty-First Century's Fuel Sufficiency Roadmap ) By Dr. Steve Esomba, Published 2012〕 The word ''bionic'' was coined by Jack E. Steele in 1958, possibly originating from the technical term ''bion'' (pronounced ''BEE-on''; from ), meaning 'unit of life' and the suffix ''-ic'', meaning 'like' or 'in the manner of', hence 'like life'. Some dictionaries, however, explain the word as being formed as a portmanteau from ''biology'' and ''electronics''. It was popularized by the 1970s U.S. television series ''The Six Million Dollar Man'' and ''The Bionic Woman'', both based upon the novel ''Cyborg'' by Martin Caidin, which was itself influenced by Steele's work. All feature humans given superhuman powers by electromechanical implants. The transfer of technology between lifeforms and manufactures is, according to proponents of bionic technology, desirable because evolutionary pressure typically forces living organisms, including fauna and flora, to become highly optimized and efficient. A classical example is the development of dirt- and water-repellent paint (coating) from the observation that the surface of the lotus flower plant is practically unsticky for anything (the lotus effect).. Ekso Bionics is currently developing and manufacturing intelligently powered exoskeleton bionic devices that can be strapped on as wearable robots to enhance the strength, mobility, and endurance of soldiers and paraplegics. The term "biomimetic" is preferred when reference is made to chemical reactions. In that domain, biomimetic chemistry refers to reactions that, in nature, involve biological macromolecules (for example, enzymes or nucleic acids) whose chemistry can be replicated using much smaller molecules ''in vitro''. Examples of bionics in engineering include the hulls of boats imitating the thick skin of dolphins; sonar, radar, and medical ultrasound imaging imitating the echolocation of bats. In the field of computer science, the study of bionics has produced artificial neurons, artificial neural networks,〔(Research Interests ). Duke.edu. Retrieved on 2011-04-23.〕 and swarm intelligence. Evolutionary computation was also motivated by bionics ideas but it took the idea further by simulating evolution in silico and producing well-optimized solutions that had never appeared in nature. It is estimated by Julian Vincent, professor of biomimetics at the University of Bath's department of mechanical engineering Biomimetics group, that "at present there is only a 12% overlap between biology and technology in terms of the mechanisms used". ==History== The name biomimetics was coined by Otto Schmitt in the 1950s. The term bionics was coined by Jack E. Steele in 1958 while working at the ''Aeronautics Division House'' at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. However, terms like biomimicry or biomimetics are more preferred in the technology world in efforts to avoid confusion between the medical term bionics. Coincidentally, Martin Caidin used the word for his 1972 novel ''Cyborg'', which inspired the series ''The Six Million Dollar Man''. Caidin was a long-time aviation industry writer before turning to fiction full-time. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Bionics」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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