Bionics
Bionics is the application of biological methods and systems found in nature to the study and design of engineering systems and modern technology. The word
bionic was coined by Jack E. Steele in 1958, possibly originating from the technical term
bion , meaning 'unit of life' and the suffix
-ic, meaning 'like' or 'in the manner of', hence 'like life'. Some dictionaries, however, explain the word as being formed as a portmanteau from
biology +
electronics. It was popularized by the 1970s television series
The Six Million Dollar Man and
The Bionic Woman, which were based upon the novel
Cyborg by Martin Caidin, which was influenced by Steele's work, and feature humans given superhuman powers by electromechanical implants The transfer of technology between lifeforms and manufactures is, according to proponents of bionic technology, desirable because evolutionary pressure typically forces living organisms, including fauna and flora, to become highly optimized and efficient.