Page 19 - Handbook of Biomechatronics

12 Ahmed R. Arshi

ISO 21500 could be considered as an industrially acceptable guide on
how to manage the multidisciplinary projects. Technical integration in such
laboratories or research centers require biomechatronic management. Any
new concept has to go through a diversification stage until an optimal solu-
tion is identified. In biomechatronic centers, this search, research, and finally
development consumes time, technical resources, and funds, which are the
basic building blocks of a “project”. Integration has roots in the initiation
stage and solidify during the planning stage of a project where modeling acts
as the essence of design. Once again, a multilingual approach to mechatronic
design could hamper integration by adversely affecting the communications
between the members of the project team and hence a unifying technolog-
ical approach is crucial.

6 ANATOMY OF DESIGN

In solving human problems, the engineer began a practical manipula-
tion of scientific values resulting in new ideas and tools. The inventiveness
and creativity accompanying this practical manipulation are considered as
the foundation stones of what is called design. Although design represents
a profound intellectual achievement, it has not until recently been
approached as a distinct discipline or a science on its own right. The barrier
to such an approach has always been mounted on two pillars, one of which is
deeply embedded in subjectivity, and the other in specialization. The former
is nourished by what is against structuring of inventiveness and adoption of a
set of unique criteria, and the latter would force the design concept to be
cloaked by intradisciplinary established routines.
Intuition and creativity form a part of design hierarchy known as synthe-
sis. The causal structure of mental process behind spontaneity in synthesis is
not tangible and defies any structuring attempts. Spontaneity in design could
be a personal skill and an organizational asset. The challenge in promoting
design as a discipline or science is how to approach design and in particular
the synthesis, systematically.
Biomechatronic design, in the current context, is primarily concerned
with functionality and reliability. The approach adopted by biomechatronic
school of thought embarks on associating all attributes of design to the engi-
neering aspects. For this association to materialize, a common ground in the
shape of a general design methodology is required. The lack of an effective
general methodology for design in biomechatronic systems is an insufficient
emphasis upon general methodologies in engineering. This has never been