Shivani's Reflection

Reflection

Engineering Biomimetics is one of the most interesting modules I've had the pleasure of learning in the four years of my engineering. When studying mechanical engineering, it is a very technical field hence all the subjects following are also technical and this course is like a breath of fresh air. We got to learn how everything in nature inspires something and many surprising technological developments that have made our lives significantly easier. For this subject, I got to experience not only classroom learning, but also learning about the surroundings and how to get inspired by objects in nature and then apply that knowledge to any engineering application.

I had the opportunity to adopt a hedgehog for this project. Hedgehogs are very interesting creatures and the opportunity to do research on them helped us create a helmet for a motorcyclist that would increase in their safety. The idea was inspired by the quills of the hedgehog, that are excellent shock absorbers. This project gave me a chance to work with the creative side of people and the just while deciding which project to select, we realised how a lot things from nature can be inspirational. Working in a team proves that six brains are better than one and hence the ideas got better and more creative as the weeks progressed and the final product was something to be proud of. This was a fun experience that I will try to incorporate into my new endeavors.