Assignment: Foot-Inspired Design

Fear the Polydactyl cat

Image courtesy of Flickr CC

Follow the steps below:

  • DISCOVER a foot model from nature. [Side note: Did you know that foot models actually make ~$2000 per photo shoot? Luckily, our muses won't be charging but be sure to thank them for the inspiration!] Any animal's foot will do (don't forget about insects.) Select a model by choosing an animal's foot that you're drawn to somehow, because it looks cool, it is able to do something amazing, it is fascinating to you in some way. Basically, you want a foot that you're inspired by. [For example, check out this article from Core77.com (Links to an external site.) about the ninja abilities of goat hooves! Completely awesome!]
  • ABSTRACT a design idea. What is a cool design feature or ability of your foot model's foot that you want to apply to your design? Think about the PRINCIPLES of the foot design not simply the way it looks. Think about WHY rather than WHAT. For example, can the foot climb vertical surfaces (like geckos, spiders, flies can!)? Can it cross burning sand without getting cooked (lizards and camels can!)? Can it hold an incredible amount of weight on a small surface (horses hooves can!)? Can it retract it's claws (cats feet can!). Try to learn about about how your foot model's foot works -- what makes it unique? Learn more about the animal your are modeling at Encyclopedia of Life (EOL.org Links to an external site.) - this is a phenomenal resource for biological information that is easy to navigate and digest.
  • BRAINSTORM potential applications for your cool design feature. (Note: your design need NOT be anything related to a foot (i.e., shoe, prosthetic foot, etc.). Try to brainstorm beyond the box.). If you're stuck, try to think about what industries are faced with the same challenges. What problem could you solve with your design?  For example, how amazing would it be to have retractable claws (like a cat's) in your car tires for snowy and icy conditions? You could pull them in when there isn't ice and put them out when there is. Saves changing your tires twice a year between summer and winter.
  • HAVE FUN! :)
  • SKETCH your design concept. You can use a design software program if you prefer or else sketch on paper and scan it. Don't worry if you can't draw! Use your imagination. You can use paints, markers, colored pencils, fabric, magazine cut-outs, etc., to embellish your sketch.
  • POST your design idea to the Discussion Board.
    INCLUDE:
  1. The name of your foot model (common name is fine: "domestic cat")
  2. A design sketch image (may be a photo or a scanned image)
  3. A name of your design (Kat Klawz All-Season Tires)
  4. A 1-paragraph description of what the design is ("a tire") and what the nature-inspired selling feature is ("retractable ice claws") and how you imagine the design will work ("deployed by cruise control from the convenience of your steering wheel"). This assignment is intended to get your creative juices flowing; don't worry about the materials you'd use in real-life, or if you really know the reason why a foot does what it does -- we're having fun here!

A good reality ratio for this assignment is: 80% creative and 20% reality. Remember: we're having fun here! BUT STICK TO BIOMIMICY -- NOT BIOMORPHISM.