The Bioinspired Prosumer-Interactions between Bioinspired Design Methods in the Prosumer Scope

Area of Science:

• Biomimetics and Prosumer Innovation
• Interdisciplinary Design Studies

Background:

• Prosumerism is growing, with individuals increasingly involved in product design and creation.
• Bioinspired design methods are emerging in prosumer contexts, but their integration lacks academic study.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility and value of combining bioinspired design with prosumer characteristics.
• To explore small-scale, independent bioinspired design without requiring specialized biomimetics experts.

Main Methods:

• A case study approach was employed, focusing on a designer acting as a prosumer.
• A bicycle flashlight microgenerator was designed using bioinspiration from samara seed geometry.
• The designed microgenerator was tested in a wind tunnel.

Main Results:

• A novel bicycle flashlight was successfully designed and prototyped.
• The bioinspired microgenerator demonstrated improved efficiency and reduced financial expenditure.
• The integration of bioinspired design within a prosumer framework presented unique challenges.

Conclusions:

• Combining bioinspired design with prosumer activities is feasible and offers benefits like novelty, efficiency, and cost reduction.
• This approach necessitates a multidisciplinary perspective to overcome inherent challenges.
• The study validates the potential of independent, small-scale bioinspired innovation by prosumers.