Bio-smart Materials for Product Design Innovation: Going Through Qualities and Applications

Based on the principles of emerging bio-smart materials, in the framework of design-driven material innovation approach and cross-disciplinary research practices, the aim of this paper is to make clear how these materials are creating new opportunities to realize answers to the complex needs of contemporary society, while defining bio-smart materials main qualities, and questioning the implications on research design practices. We present a review of case studies of bio-smart materials applications in order to demonstrate that their diffusion is underway, especially in some application sector characterized by more complexity and a higher propensity for the use of biotechnological innovations. The examples described, are framed in three specific areas: biomedical design, sports design, and design for the environment that are particularly interested of the development and application of novel materials for both their performances and sustainability.