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I. Gebeshuber, M. Drack:
"An attempt to reveal synergies between biology and engineering mechanics\";
Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part C - Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science, 222 (2008), 1281 - 1287.

Biomimetics is a continuously growing field. In this article specific examples for
successful technology transfer among biology and engineering are classified along a newly
proposed scheme of the field - biomimetics by analogy and biomimetics by induction - complemented
by technical biology. Famous examples as well as niche applications are presented:
winglets on airplanes, an optimized straw-bale screw, Velcro, and self-cleaning surfaces and
paints, as well as investigations on spiders. The need of a common language for biologists and
engineers, in which descriptions at different level of detail are more compatible, is stressed and
general principles that can be applied by engineers who are not at all involved in biology are
presented.

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