Glossary · Industrial communication
Bionic Learning Network
Also known as: Festo Bionic Learning Network
German: Bionic Learning Network
In industrial automation, the Bionic Learning Network is Festo's research and innovation network with universities, institutes and development companies that studies principles from nature and transfers them into technology demonstrators for automation.
- Industrial communication
- Vendor product
In one sentence
The Bionic Learning Network is Festo's research network that transfers principles from nature into automation technology demonstrators.
Example
A gripper modeled on a fish fin, first shown as a Bionic Learning Network demonstrator, inspired soft grippers for handling delicate parts.
How it applies
- Engineering: The network's projects are demonstrators, not catalog products. Engineers can take ideas from them (for example adaptive gripping or lightweight structures), but must evaluate any derived component against the requirements of their own machine.
- Marketing: Technical marketers often reference bionic demonstrators in trade show and innovation communication. Claims should clearly distinguish between a research demonstrator and a product that is available and supported.
- Documentation: When documentation or articles mention results of the network, the documentation team names the specific project and year and avoids implying that a demonstrator's properties apply to a series product.
The term appears in the client's communication section because many demonstrators combine mechanics with networked control and, in some projects, learning algorithms (see Machine learning (ML)).
Keep in mind: Program names, partners and projects change over time. Check the vendor's current publications before citing the Bionic Learning Network or one of its demonstrators.