Constructional Morphology and Evolution


Book Description

Constructional morphology explains features of organisms from a constructional and functional point of view. By means of physical analysis it explains the operational aspects of organic structures - how they can perform the activities organisms are expected to fulfil in order to survive in their environment. Constructional morphology also explains options and constraints during the evolution determined by internal constructional needs, ontogenetic demands, inherited organizational preconditions and environmental clues.




Concepts and Values in Biodiversity


Book Description

Biodiversity may refer to the diversity of genes, species or ecosystems in general. These varying concepts of biodiversity occasionally lead to conflicts among researchers and policy makers, as each of them require a customized type of protection strategy. This book addresses the questions surrounding the merits of conserving an existing situation, evolutionary development or the intentional substitution of one genome, species or ecosystem for another. Any practical steps towards the protection of biodiversity demand a definition of that which is to be protected and, in turn, the motivations for protecting biodiversity. Is biodiversity a necessary model which is also useful, or does it carry intrinsic value? Debates like this are particularly complex when interested parties address it from different conceptual and moral perspectives. Comprised of three parts, each complemented by a short introductory paragraph, this collection presents a variety of approaches to this challenge. The chapters cover the perspectives of environmental scientists with expertise in evolutionary, environmental biology, systematic zoology and botany, as well as those of researchers with expertise in philosophy, ethics, politics, law and economics. This combination facilitates a truly interdisciplinary debate by highlighting hitherto unacknowledged implications that inform current academic and political debates on biodiversity and its protection. The book should be of interest to students and researchers of environment studies, biodiversity, environmental philosophy, ethics and management.




Robo- and Informationethics


Book Description

Robo- and Informationethics is a new field of applied ethics, which currently undergoes some fascinating and fundamental transformations: the emergence of new types of robotic technologies, such as autonomous systems and artificial agents, which generate serious threats to the understanding of human beings as the only strictly autonomously acting entities. This book focuses on some of the most pressing methodological, ethical, and technique-philosophical questions that are connected with the concept of artificial autonomous systems. (Series: Hermeneutics and Anthropology / Hermeneutik und Anthropologie - Vol. 3)







An Anthology of Structural Morphology


Book Description

The structural morphology working group of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures, founded in 1991, has helped to launch several international seminars, newsletters and specific sessions of international conferences devoted to structural morphology. This book contains papers that have been selected either for their fundamental contribution to structural morphology or for their actual pertinence in the field. Polyhedral geometry, double-curved surfaces, biological structures, foldable systems, form-finding techniques, and free form design are some of the topics included in the contents of this book. The work presented in this book is the result of more than 15 years of study by researchers, engineers, mathematicians, and architects, who thought that conceptual design would benefit from the association of separate fields (geometry, biology, and mechanics) in a holistic process. Every aspect of structural morphology is illustrated by one or more chapters of the book. As far as we know, there are few books OCo perhaps none OCo that gather all aspects of structural morphology, even if, for instance, there are many books on the geometry of polyhedra. Furthermore, readers will have access to a large list of selected references, which will open the scope of their bibliography. Sample Chapter(s). Chapter 1: The First 13 Years of Structural Morphology Group OCo A Personal View (2,623 KB). Contents: The First 13 Years of Structural Morphology Group OCo A Personal View (T Wester); An Approach to Structural Morphology (R Motro); The Structural Morphology of Curved Diaphragms OCo Or the Structural Behavior of Floral Polyhedra (T Wester); Polyhedroids (P Huybers); Novational Transformations (H Nooshin et al.); Some Structural-Morphological Aspects of Deployable Structures for Space Enclosures (A Hanaor); Phantasy in Space: On Human Feeling Between the Shapes of the World and How to Look on Natural Structures (M Balz); An Expandable Dodecahedron (K Flriin & T Tabor); Examples of Geometrical Reverse Engineering: Designing from Models and/or Under Geometrical Constraints (K Linkwitz); Crystalline Architecture (A L Loeb); Flat Grids Designs Employing the Swivel Diaphragm (C Rodriguez et al.); Form Optimizing in Biological Structures OCo The Morphology of Sea Shells (E Stach); Expandable OCyBlobOCO Structures (F Jensen & S Pellegrino). Readership: Advanced undergraduates and graduate students in mechanics, civil engineering, architecture and design; architects; engineers."




Theoretical Morphology


Book Description

Theoretical morphology--which seeks to sketch the range of forms that biological entities could take, with the ultimate goal of discovering why certain forms exist but others do not--is among paleontology's most significant contributions to the understanding of evolution. Today, with the aid of computers in developing conceivable morphologies, the discipline has been able to advance into a remarkable tool for the study of evolution. Yet despite these advances, the field remains largely untapped and ripe with research potential. In this volume, paleontologist George McGhee presents the first complete overview of the field, its advancements in recent years, and the challenges ahead. Theoretical Morphology provides readers with the background they need to launch their own research. McGhee describes the steps involved in defining the geometric parameters (theoretical morphospaces) for an organic form in order to generate a spectrum of other possible forms that have never actually appeared. He also addresses the simulation of actual processes of morphogenesis, with the goal of attaining a more nuanced comprehension of how evolutionary processes work. Theoretical Morphology takes readers through a variety of theoretical morphospaces including those for univalved, bivalved, discrete, and branching growth systems. With a glossary of terms and a comprehensive list of references on the subject, this is an excellent handbook for graduate students or professional scientists interested in employing these cutting-edge techniques in their own research.




Design & Nature V


Book Description

With the onward march of science and technology, and the continuing quest for improvement, there is a growing curiosity about the world around us. Close examination of structures in nature can be rewarding and surprising Nature has shown an extraordinary capacity to develop dynamic structures and systems over many millions of years and there is still much to be learnt. Aimed at providing researchers in this subject with fresh impetus and inspiration, this book consists of papers presented at the Fifth International Conference on Design and Nature. The contributions reflect the rich variety of work currently taking place around the world and cover the following topics: Nature and Architecture; Mechanics in Nature; Natural Materials and Processing; Solutions from Nature; Biomimetics; Biomimetics and Bioinspiration; Biocapacity; Education in Design and Nature, and Helical Design in Nature.




Introduction to Design Engineering


Book Description

Designing engineering products technical systems and/or transformation processes requires a range of information, know-how, experience, and engineering analysis, to find an optimal solution. Creativity and open-mindedness can be greatly assisted by systematic design engineering, which will ultimately lead to improved outcomes, documentatio




Design Engineering


Book Description

As with any art, science, or discipline, natural talent is only part of the equation. Consistent success stems from honing your skills, cultivating good techniques, and hard work. Design engineering, a field often considered an intuitive process not amenable to scientific investigation, is no exception. Providing descriptive theory, broad context,




Biodental Engineering V


Book Description

Dentistry is a branch of medicine with its own particularities and very different fields of action, and is generally regarded as an interdisciplinary field. The use of new technologies is currently the main driving force for the series of international conferences on Biodental Engineering (BIODENTAL). BIODENTAL ENGINEERING V contains the full papers presented at the 5th International Conference on Biodental Engineering (BIODENTAL 2018, Porto, Portugal, 22-23 June 2018). The conference had two workshops, one of them dealing with computational imaging combined with finite element method, the other dealing with bone tissue remodelling models. Additionally, the conference had three special sessions and sixty contributed presentations. The topics discussed in BIODENTAL ENGINEERING V include: Aesthetics Bioengineering Biomaterials Biomechanical disorders Biomedical devices Computational bio- imaging and visualization Computational methods Dental medicine Experimental mechanics Signal processing and analysis Implantology Minimally invasive devices and techniques Orthodontics Prosthesis and orthosis Simulation Software development Telemedicine Tissue engineering Virtual reality The purpose of the series of BIODENTAL Conferences on Biodental Engineering, initiated in 2009, is to perpetuate knowledge on bioengineering applied to dentistry, by promoting a comprehensive forum for discussion on recent advances in related fields in order to identify potential collaboration between researchers and end-users from different sciences.