Design of a Species Identification Application to Fuel Sustainable Innovation through Biomimicry

This study aims to create an application that can be used for species identification and assist designers in creating biomimicry-inspired products. Biomimicry mimics nature to develop sustainable products that have the capabilities of outperforming conventional solutions. Biomimicry is a tool in a designer's toolkit to design for resource-conserving and effective solutions promoting creativity and innovation. To fuel this innovation, the designer is equipped with an app that emulates species around them in a 3D model that serves as a catalyst for design inspiration. The app aims to recognise species through artificial intelligence and capture them in an interactive application that can be revisited as a part of the design process and can be used as a tool to educate students about biological forms, processes, and structures. Additionally, the application provides necessary information regarding species like facts, behavior, habitat, etc. Interventions in design education have been recognised but none have explored incorporating a smartphone application interface for fostering design inspiration through biomimicry. This solution has the capability of benefiting designers worldwide making the mental tool more tangible enhancing the prospects of sustainable innovation and empowering student education through visual resources.