Bionics （the imitation or abstraction of the ＂inventions＂ of nature） and, to an even greater extent, syn- thetic biology, will be as relevant to engineering development and industry as the silicon chip was over th...Bionics （the imitation or abstraction of the ＂inventions＂ of nature） and, to an even greater extent, syn- thetic biology, will be as relevant to engineering development and industry as the silicon chip was over the last 50 years. Chemical industries already use so-called ＂white biotechnology＂ for new processes, new raw materials, and more sustainable use of resources. Synthetic biology is also used for the devel- opment of second-generation biofuels and for harvesting the sun＇s energy with the help of tailor-made microorganisms or biometrically designed catalysts. The market potential for bionics in medicine, en- gineering processes, and DNA storage is huge. ＂Moonshot＂ projects are already aggressively focusing on diseases and new materials, and a US-led competition is currently underway with the aim of creating a thousand new molecules. This article describes a timeline that starts with current projects and then moves on to code engineering projects and their implications, artificial DNA, signaling molecules, and biological circuitry. Beyond these projects, one of the next frontiers in bionics is the design of synthetic metabolisms that include artificial food chains and foods, and the bioengineering of raw materials; all of which will lead to new insights into biological principles. Bioengineering will be an innovation motor just as digitalization is today. This article discusses pertinent examples of bioengineering, particularly the use of alternative carbon-based biofuels and the techniques and perils of cell modification. Big data, analytics, and massive storage are important factors in this next frontier. Although synthetic biology will be as pervasive and transformative in the next 50 years as digitization and the Intemet are today, its ap- plications and impacts are still in nascent stages. This article provides a general taxonomy in which the development of bioengineering is classified in five stages （DNA analysis, bio-circuits, minimal genomes, protocells, xenobiology） from the familiar to the unknown, with implications for safety and security, in- dustrial development, and the development of bioengineering and biotechnology as an interdisciplinary field. Ethical issues and the importance of a public debate about the consequences of bionics and syn- thetic biology are discussed.展开更多
The Suzhou Institute of Nano-tech and Nano-bionics is co-established by CAS, the provincial government of Jiangsu, and the municipal government of Suzhou, a time-honored urban center and picturesque tourist resort in ...The Suzhou Institute of Nano-tech and Nano-bionics is co-established by CAS, the provincial government of Jiangsu, and the municipal government of Suzhou, a time-honored urban center and picturesque tourist resort in the Yangtze delta.展开更多
The bionic consciousness,idea,and practice opened a unique path for the progress of mankind,the development of the society,and the innovation of science and technology from the subconscious bionic activities of the an...The bionic consciousness,idea,and practice opened a unique path for the progress of mankind,the development of the society,and the innovation of science and technology from the subconscious bionic activities of the ancient humans to the significant bionic designs in modern engineering.Nowadays,driven by the practical demand of human beings,bionics becomes an important factor for the sustainable development of technology.A lot of new and outstanding innovations have been produced through the effective interactions between bionics,technology,and demand.The stronger the interactions,the greater the innovation success would be.In this article,the basic factors such as the connotation,characteristics,and interactions of bionic demands,bionic models,bionic simulations,and bionic products were explained,which are the indispensable basic knowledge for improving the ability of innovation especially for the original one,realizing the design and innovation of new technology and manufacturing for better bionic products.展开更多
文摘Bionics （the imitation or abstraction of the ＂inventions＂ of nature） and, to an even greater extent, syn- thetic biology, will be as relevant to engineering development and industry as the silicon chip was over the last 50 years. Chemical industries already use so-called ＂white biotechnology＂ for new processes, new raw materials, and more sustainable use of resources. Synthetic biology is also used for the devel- opment of second-generation biofuels and for harvesting the sun＇s energy with the help of tailor-made microorganisms or biometrically designed catalysts. The market potential for bionics in medicine, en- gineering processes, and DNA storage is huge. ＂Moonshot＂ projects are already aggressively focusing on diseases and new materials, and a US-led competition is currently underway with the aim of creating a thousand new molecules. This article describes a timeline that starts with current projects and then moves on to code engineering projects and their implications, artificial DNA, signaling molecules, and biological circuitry. Beyond these projects, one of the next frontiers in bionics is the design of synthetic metabolisms that include artificial food chains and foods, and the bioengineering of raw materials; all of which will lead to new insights into biological principles. Bioengineering will be an innovation motor just as digitalization is today. This article discusses pertinent examples of bioengineering, particularly the use of alternative carbon-based biofuels and the techniques and perils of cell modification. Big data, analytics, and massive storage are important factors in this next frontier. Although synthetic biology will be as pervasive and transformative in the next 50 years as digitization and the Intemet are today, its ap- plications and impacts are still in nascent stages. This article provides a general taxonomy in which the development of bioengineering is classified in five stages （DNA analysis, bio-circuits, minimal genomes, protocells, xenobiology） from the familiar to the unknown, with implications for safety and security, in- dustrial development, and the development of bioengineering and biotechnology as an interdisciplinary field. Ethical issues and the importance of a public debate about the consequences of bionics and syn- thetic biology are discussed.
文摘The Suzhou Institute of Nano-tech and Nano-bionics is co-established by CAS, the provincial government of Jiangsu, and the municipal government of Suzhou, a time-honored urban center and picturesque tourist resort in the Yangtze delta.
基金supported by the Cooperative Innovation Platform of National Oil Shale Exploration Development and Research,the National Natural Science Foundation for Youths(Grant Nos.51205160 and 51375006)the Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China(Grant No.20120061120110)
文摘The bionic consciousness,idea,and practice opened a unique path for the progress of mankind,the development of the society,and the innovation of science and technology from the subconscious bionic activities of the ancient humans to the significant bionic designs in modern engineering.Nowadays,driven by the practical demand of human beings,bionics becomes an important factor for the sustainable development of technology.A lot of new and outstanding innovations have been produced through the effective interactions between bionics,technology,and demand.The stronger the interactions,the greater the innovation success would be.In this article,the basic factors such as the connotation,characteristics,and interactions of bionic demands,bionic models,bionic simulations,and bionic products were explained,which are the indispensable basic knowledge for improving the ability of innovation especially for the original one,realizing the design and innovation of new technology and manufacturing for better bionic products.
