Subject(s): CX.4

Category: Article

Abstract:

How can ideas about evolutionary dynamics, bio-information processing, robustness and flexibility contribute to understanding learning, innovation, and the role of smart technology in distributed complex adaptive systems? Whereas biomimetics copies Nature's evolutionary "products," we aim to learn from Nature's "processes" about how evolution efficiently produces exquisitely adapted novelty that traditional engineering design would fail to predict. What insight toward more effective design and innovation processes is gained by viewing design and engineering through the lens of biological processes? This paper will describe a webtank (think tank on the web) being developed to gather comments from a large number of participants about future solicitation topics for NSF. The method being implemented itself manifests principles of emergent complex adaptive systems, evolving in response to ongoing input from participants.

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