Dr Richard Bonser

Dr Richard Bonser joined the Department of Design, as Reader, during January 2012. His academic background is interdisciplinary, having read Zoology at the University of Sheffield and been awarded a PhD in the mechanics of biological materials by the University of Bristol. From 1993 to 1998, Richard undertook postdoctoral research at Bristol, Manchester and Oxford Universities before taking up the post of Senior Research Scientist in the Biomaterials group at the BBSRC’s Silsoe Research Institute, leaving during 2002. Prior to joining Brunel, he was Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Biomimetics at the University of Reading.

Research Interests

Richard’s research interests are concerned with the design and development of new materials and structures. He is particularly interested in the application of biomimetics (defined as ‘the abstraction of good design from nature’). Having a background in biomechanics and biological materials mechanics, he is also interested in the development of sustainable materials derived from renewable feedstocks.

Current Research

Octopus Project

This EU-funded project seeks to develop a soft-bodied octopus-inspired robot. Current work is concerned with the development of a soft yet tough waterproof skin and biomimetic suckers, inspired by those of the squid. www.octopus-project.eu

• Sponsors: European Union
• Value: €7m (€736k)
• Dates: 2009-13

Richard has been awarded grants totalling more than £8m in the last 14 years, including funding from EU, EPSRC, BBSRC, The Royal Society and the Nuffield Foundation

Teaching

Module teaching contributor:

• DM5533 Sustainable Design, MSc Integrated Product Design
• DM3316 Environmentally Sensitive design

• LinkedIn: http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/richard-bonser/47/54/216
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/rbonserdesign

Committees

• Board member, Ocean Design Research Association.
• Advisory Board Member, Center for Architecture and Tectonics, Oslo School of Architecture and Design Research.

Consultancy

Richard has provided consultancy advice to a range of customers across the public and private sectors. He provides specialist advice in both the use of sustainable materials and using biomimetics to enhance product design.

Professional affiliations

Member of the Chartered Management Instititue (MCMI).

Publications

Journal Papers

(2012) Hou, J., Wright, E., Bonser, RHC. and Jeronimidis, G., Development of Biomimetic Squid-Inspired Suckers, JOURNAL OF BIONIC ENGINEERING 9 (4) : 484- 493 Download publication

(2012) Hou, J., Bonser, RHC. and Jeronimidis, G., Developing Skin Analogues for a Robotic Octopus, JOURNAL OF BIONIC ENGINEERING 9 (3) : 385- 390 Download publication

(2011) Hou, J., Bonser, RHC. and Jeronimidis, G., Design of a Biomimetic Skin for an Octopus-Inspired Robot - Part I: Characterising Octopus Skin, JOURNAL OF BIONIC ENGINEERING 8 (3) : 288- 296 Download publication

(2011) Hou, J., Bonser, RHC. and Jeronimidis, G., Design of a Biomimetic Skin for an Octopus-Inspired Robot - Part II: Development of the Skin Artefact, JOURNAL OF BIONIC ENGINEERING 8 (3) : 297- 304 Download publication

(2011) Gosler, AG., Connor, OR. and Bonser, RHC., Protoporphyrin and eggshell strength: preliminary findings from a passerine bird, AVIAN BIOLOGY RESEARCH 4 (4) : 214- 223 Download publication

(2010) Lingham-Soliar, T., Bonser, RHC. and Wesley-Smith, J., Selective biodegradation of keratin matrix in feather rachis reveals classic bioengineering, PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 277 (1685) : 1161- 1168 Download publication

(2009) Johnson, EAC., Bonser, RHC. and Jeronimidis, G., Recent advances in biomimetic sensing technologies, PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY A-MATHEMATICAL PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 367 (1893) : 1559- 1569 Download publication

(2007) Humphries, S., Bonser, RHC., Witton, MP. and Martill, DM., Did pterosaurs feed by skimming? Physical modelling and anatomical evaluation of an unusual feeding method, PLoS Biology 5 (8) : 1647- 1655

(2007) Bonser, RHC. and Vincent, JFV., Technology trajectories, innovation, and the growth of biomimetics, PROCEEDINGS OF THE INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS PART C-JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE 221 (10) : 1177- 1180 Download publication

(2006) Bonser, RHC., Measurements at the leading edge in insect flight, Journal of Experimental Biology 209 V- VI

(2006) Bonser, RHC., High-flying hummingbirds burst to beat competitors, The Journal of Experimental Biology 209 VI- VI

(2006) Bonser, RHC., Patented biologically-inspired technological innovations: A twenty year view, Journal of Bionic Engineering 3 (1) : 39- 41

(2006) Paxton, H., Bonser, RHC. and Winwood, K., Regional variation in the microhardness and mineralization of vertebrae from brown and rainbow trout, JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 68 (2) : 481- 487 Download publication

(2005) Bonser, R., Science to get one's teeth into, JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY 208 (17) : IV- IV Download publication

(2011) Martinez-Botas, R., Pesiridis, A., Copeland, C., Howey, D., Romagnoli, A. and Offer, G., Design for Life, Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology InternationalJuly 2011

(2004) Prescott, NB. and Bonser, RHC., Beak trimming reduces feeding efficiency of hens, JOURNAL OF APPLIED POULTRY RESEARCH 13 (3) : 468- 471 Download publication

(2004) Collis, VJ., Green, LE., Blowey, RW., Packington, AJ. and Bonser, RHC., Testing white line strength in the dairy cow, JOURNAL OF DAIRY SCIENCE 87 (9) : 2874- 2880 Download publication

(2004) Bonser, RHC., Deaton, KE., Bishop, CM. and Butler, PJ., The effect of impaired thyroid function during development on the mechanical properties of avian bone, JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART A-COMPARATIVE EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY 301A (8) : 636- 641 Download publication

(2004) Taylor, AM., Bonser, RHC. and Farrent, JW., The influence of hydration on the tensile and compressive properties of avian keratinous tissues, JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE 39 (3) : 939- 942 Download publication

(2004) Bonser, RHC., Saker, L. and Jeronimidis, G., Toughness anisotropy in feather keratin, JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE 39 (8) : 2895- 2896 Download publication

(2003) Bonser, RHC., Farrent, JW. and Taylor, AM., Assessing the frictional and abrasion-resisting properties of hooves and claws, Biosystems Engineering 86 (2) : 253- 256

(2003) Bonser, RHC. and Casinos, A., Regional variation in cortical bone properties from broiler fowl - a first look, BRITISH POULTRY SCIENCE 44 (3) : 350- 354 Download publication

(2003) Cameron, GJ., Wess, TJ. and Bonser, RHC., Young's modulus varies with differential orientation of keratin in feathers, JOURNAL OF STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 143 (2) : 118- 123 Download publication

(2002) Bonser, RHC., Hydration sensitivity of ostrich claw keratin, JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE LETTERS 21 (20) : 1563- 1564 Download publication

(2001) Bonser, RHC. and Farrent, JW., Influence of hydration on the mechanical performance of duck down feathers, British Poultry Science 42 (2) : 271- 273

(2001) Bonser, RHC., Mites on birds - Comment from Bonser, Trends in Ecology and Evolution 16 18- 19

(2001) Bonser, RHC., The elastic properties of wing and contour feather keratin from the Ostrich Struthio camelus, IBIS 143 (1) : 144- 145 Download publication

(2001) Bonser, RHC., The mechanical performance of medullary foam from feathers, JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE LETTERS 20 (10) : 941- 942 Download publication

(2000) Dawson, A., Hinsley, SA., Ferns, PN., Bonser, RHC. and Eccleston, L., Rate of moult affects feather quality: a mechanism linking current reproductive effort to future survival, PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 267 (1457) : 2093- 2098 Download publication

(2000) Bonser, RHC. and Dawson, C., The mechanical properties of down feathers from gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua), JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 251 545- 547 Download publication

(2000) Bonser, RHC., The Young's modulus of ostrich claw keratin, JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE LETTERS 19 (12) : 1039- 1040 Download publication

(1999) Bonser, RHC., Branching out in locomotion: The mechanics of perch use in birds and primates, Journal of Experimental Biology 202 (11) : 1459- 1463

(1999) Bonser, RHC., Norman, AP. and Rayner, JMV., Does substrate quality influence take-off decisions in Common Starlings?, FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY 13 (1) : 102- 105 Download publication

(1999) Bonser, RHC. and Dawson, C., The structural mechanical properties of down feathers and biomimicking natural insulation materials, JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE LETTERS 18 (21) : 1769- 1770 Download publication

(1998) Bentley, GE. and Bonser, RH., Long-term hypothyroidism causes decreased bone competence in male European starlings, Sturnus vulgaris, Journal of Experimental Zoology 281 (6) : 602- 607

(1998) Bonser, RHC. and Ennos, AR., Measurement of prestrain in trees: implications for the determination of safety factors, FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY 12 (6) : 971- 974 Download publication

(1996) Bonser, RHC., Comparative mechanics of bill, claw, and feather keratin in the common starling Sturnus vulgaris, JOURNAL OF AVIAN BIOLOGY 27 (2) : 175- 177 Download publication

(1996) Bonser, RHC. and Rayner, JMV., Measuring leg thrust forces in the common starling, JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY 199 (2) : 435- 439 Download publication

(1996) Bonser, RHC., The mechanical properties of feather keratin, JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 239 477- 484 Download publication

(1995) Bonser, RHC., Melanin and the abrasion resistance of feathers, Condor 97 590- 591

(1995) Bonser, RHC. and Purslow, PP., The Youngs-modulus of feather keratin, Journal of Experimental Biology 198 1029- 1033

(1995) Bonser, RH., Longitudinal variation in mechanical competence of bone along the avian humerus, Journal of Experimental Biology 198 Pt 1/- Pt 1/

(1994) WITTER, MS., CUTHILL, IC. and BONSER, RHC., EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS OF MASS-DEPENDENT PREDATION RISK IN THE EUROPEAN STARLING, STURNUS-VULGARIS, ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR 48 (1) : 201- 222 Download publication

(1993) Bonser, RHC. and Witter, MS., Indentation hardness of the bill keratin of the European starling, Condor 95 736- 738

Conference Papers

(2012) Hou, J., Bonser, RHC. and Jeronimidis, G., Development of sensorized arm skin for an octopus inspired robot - Part II: Tactile sensors, , Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics) (7375 LNAI) : 357- 358

(2012) Hou, J., Bonser, RHC. and Jeronimidis, G., Development of sensorized arm skin for an octopus inspired robot - Part I: Soft skin artifacts, , Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics) (7375 LNAI) : 355- 356

(2012) Hou, J., Bonser, RHC. and Jeronimidis, G., Development of sensorized arm skin for an octopus inspired robot - Part III: Biomimetic suckers, , Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics) (7375 LNAI) : 359- 360

(2012) Hou, J., Bonser, RHC. and Jeronimidis, G., Developing sensorized arm skin for an octopus inspired robot, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2012 IEEE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION (ICRA) 3840- 3845 Download publication

(2007) Bonser, R. and Johnson, E., Towards biomimetic feathers for better insulation, , COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY (146) : S140- S140 Download publication

(2009) Bonser, R., Bolisani, E. and Scarso, E., Creating an Environment to Promote Knowledge Transfer From Universities, 10th European Conference on Knowledge Management, PROCEEDINGS OF THE 10TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT , VOLS 1 AND 2 116- 123 Download publication

(2006) Bonser, R., The mechanical behaviour of birds' plumage, , COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY (143) : S81- S81 Download publication

(2007) Bonser, R., Biomimetics: What has it done and where is it going?, , COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY (146) : S129- S130 Download publication