Biomimicry For 4IR

BiomimcrySA undertook a joint study with UNDP South Africa to unearth innovative and sustainable socio-economic opportunities by applying the concepts of biomimicry and design thinking:

The study was conducted in four communities in South Africa where UNDP and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research are presently rolling out low-cost internet through Television White Space Technology.

The study ran in parallel with the internet release project to promote environmental sustainability in the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) as solutions/products associated with the 4IR often have adverse effects on the environment (consider the toxicity of e-waste or inefficient energy consumption).

Biomimicry is a practice that learns from the strategies found in nature to solve human design challenges. Many aspects of 4IR already incorporate biomimicry - artificial Intelligence copies human intelligence; drones are based on nature's animals of flight; the Internet of Things (IoT) and sensors draw inspiration from human senses and its connectivity through the central nervous system.

The knowledge product showcases how local communities in Mpophomeni (KwaZulu-Natal), Mdantsane (Eastern Cape), Ocean View (Western Cape), and Botshabelo (Free State) employed biomimicry and design thinking methodologies to uncover new socio-economic opportunities that are environmentally friendly, socially sustainable and regenerative - addressing many of the Sustainable Development Goals.

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