BIODESIGN: overcoming disciplinary barriers

This paper gives the research results that were developed in cooperation with two Faculties: Design and Engineering. The main research objective is to identify the intervention area and the role of industrial design in the micro (MEMS) and nanotechnology applications. In particular it’s fundamental in biorobotics to determine both the methodology and the right instruments needed. This paper is divided into two conceptual parts; the first is theoretical and the second is application driven. In the introductory analytical part, theoretical basis are put in order to show the importance of designer cooperation in the micro-technologies study and in their innovative applications. Designers can make cooperation amongst experts easier, co-ordinating design process’ among several research fields and skills. In the first part; problems, complexities, application fields and design methodologies connected to biorobotic devices are highlighted. The second part of the research is developed with the methodology defined by C.Fryling as “through (o by)”. This methodology is a research approach done throughout projects and lead by experience. One case history is used to demostrate such an approach.