Biomimicry on The Ray

Biomimicry is innovation inspired by nature. It is a formal design practice that leverages functional biological knowledge to build design solutions that are sustainable, restorative, and regenerative. Within technological innovation, biomimicry prioritizes emulating nature’s structures, processes and systems in ways that align with, and promote sustainable and regenerative design. By designing transportation technologies like nature, human designs can create conditions that are conducive to life.

Similar to biomimicry, the mission of The Ray is to reimagine how we connect our communities, our lives and the world in a way that is safer, more responsive to the climate, more regenerative to the environment, and more capable of generating economic opportunity through innovative ideas and technologies that will transform transportation infrastructure. To achieve these goals, The Ray works with more than three dozen public agencies nationwide to promote, plan, execute and scale net-zero infrastructure projects that will produce safer, cleaner and smarter outcomes in the transportation and energy sectors.

Regenerative and sustainable design innovation is deeply driven by the biomimicry mindset, though it is seldom considered or understood by entities aiming to design regeneratively. This project catalyzes the adoption of biomimicry thinking by leveraging The Ray’s innovation testbed to demonstrate the effectiveness of using biomimicry when tackling complex system redesign, such as highway development in the transportation and mobility sector.

Read the full Biomimicry on The Ray report here.

“Biomimicry offers us the ultimate source of hope for the future, by drawing upon the natural world’s boundless innovations and limitless possibilities. It is through the lens of nature’s wisdom that we can envision a world where our technological advancements are in harmony with the planet, and where hope is not just a distant dream, but a tangible reality.” Asha Singhal, Co-founder of the Futuring Collective, Lead Designer and Researcher of Hybrid Futures

The eighteen month long Biomimicry on The Ray study leveraged a multi-phase approach to aid the strategic mission of The Ray. The study began with an intensive three month scoping initiative with internal and external stakeholder interviews, a review of The Ray’s publications, articles and strategic planning documents, and a synthesis of data collected to guide the areas of focus for the biomimicry report. The research project’s scope of work includes the following seven goals:

Provide comprehensive stakeholder biomimicry literacy training;
Identify biomimetic/bio-inspired technologies and services readily available to The Ray;
Demonstrate design solutions by applying biomimicry designs to The Ray’s challenges and goals;
Provide a comprehensive biomimicry analysis for regenerative advancements on The Ray;
Leverage biomimicry to improve social innovation initiatives on The Ray;
Create external stakeholder biomimicry communications;
Identify the feasibility of implementing each identified biomimicry initiative.

Following the determination of these goals, an exhaustive suite of relevant biomimicry pursuits were identified that support the advancement of The Ray’s Mission, all of which are reflected in the biomimicry report. Upon the delivery of the report, The Ray’s staff and Advisory Board completed a 15 week professional biomimicry training to better equip the organization with an in-depth understanding of the biomimicry design thinking methodology. The overall goal of this initiative is to uniquely position the organization to engage with and implement high level biomimetic practices as they build the future.