The Biologically Inspired Design-for-Resilience (BID4R) Research Group uses a combination of design methodology, systems engineering and complex system modeling to examine biologically inspired approaches to increase systems, systems of systems and multi-agent system resilience.
The BID4R Research Group focuses its research on three pillars:
- Identifying and Applying Biological Inspiration: How can we improve our understanding of biological strategies to increase resilience as well as transfer these strategies to address engineering challenges?
- Ongoing collaboration with Embry-Riddle Prescott focuses on measuring bed bug response to stimuli. Bed bugs demonstrate distributed collaboration approaches that can be used to inspire UAV and Swarm algorithms.
- Ant colony response to invasive fungi is being modeled and simulated as an approach to minimize the damage from intruders infiltrating swarm operations (2023 Embry-Riddle Faculty Innovative Research in Science and Technology (FIRST) Program).
- Applying ecosystem functional roles to system-of-system design has been shown to increase resilience to unexpected faults [1].
- Design Theory: What are best practices for design-by-analogy and biologically inspired design?
- A recent study presented at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers presented an approach of using functional decomposition to derive design principles to increase multi-agent system resilience through analysis of Eusocial Insects [2].
- A review of 660 current examples of biologically inspired design provides insight into the uses, purposes and inspiration for biologically inspired design in academia, practice and public perception. Biologically Inspired Design is most often used in the physical domain, inspired by a part of nature that is commonly well-known, uses a structural strategy to solve an issue, improves an innovation's reliability and impacts the use phase. [3].
- Resilience Engineering: How can we improve our understanding of resilience as a property of systems as well as support current resilience engineering efforts?
- Work has focused on deriving and developing a new metric to measure resilience for connected systems (or systems of systems) [4].
[2] I. V Hernandez, B. C. Watson, M. Weissburg and B. Bras, “Learning From Insects to Increase Multi-Agent System Resilience: Functional Decomposition and Transfer to Support Biologically Inspired Design,” in Proceedings of the ASME 2020 IDETC and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, 2021, pp. 1-12.
[3] M. G. Jastrzembski, B. C. Watson, M. J. Weissburg and B. Bras, “Assessing the Sstate of Biologically Inspired Design From Three Perspectives: Academic, Public and Practitioners,” Bioinspiration and Biomimetics, vol. 18, no. 4, 2023, doi: 10.1088/1748-3190/accb31.
[4] B. C. Watson, A. Chowdhry, M. J. Weissburg and B. Bras, “A New Resilience Metric to Compare System of Systems Architecture,” IEEE Syst. J., vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 2056–2067, 2021, doi: 10.1109/JSYST.2021.3062444
Learn More About the Research Group
2026
Otalvaro R, Watson BC. “Evaluating Complex System Resilience through BARD: A Bifurcation Analysis for Resilience Diagnostics Framework,” INCOSE Systems Engineering Journal, April 2026.
2025
Wierzbanowski BJ, Murphy AR, Watson BC, ”An Exploration of Prototyping Strategies and Frameworks through a Systematized Literature Review” Design Science, In Revision. Submitted September 2025.
Hand J, Watson BC “A Guide to Eusocial Insect Faulted Agent Resilience and its Engineering Applications,” Bioinspiration and Biomimetics, February 2025.
2024
Watson BC, McNeill C. “Using an Agent-Based Model to Explore the Effectiveness of Strategies Used to Mitigate the Spread of Ophiocordyceps camponoti-rufipedis.” The Journal of Insect Behavior, 37(3) September 2024; 181-199.
2023
Jastrzembski MG, Watson BC, Weissburg MJ, Bras B. “.” Bioinspiration & Biomimetics.
2022
Watson BC, Morris ZB, Weissburg M, Bras B. “.” Reliability Engineering & System Safety. 2022; 1-24.
2021
Watson BC, Chowdry A, Weissburg M, Bras B, “.” in IEEE Systems Journal, 2021; 1-12.
2020
Watson BC, Malone S, Weissburg M, Bras B. “.” ASME Journal of Mechanical Design. December 2020; 142(12): 1-13.
Bonilla‐Alicea RJ, Watson BC, Shen Z, Tamayo L, Telenko C. “.” J Ind Ecol. 2020; 24; 138-148.
2019
Watson BC, Telenko C. “.” ASME. J. Mech. Des. 2019;141(10):1-12.
2026
Watson BC, “Reframing Design-for-Ilities in Systems of Systems Engineering Under Hierarchical Emergence,” IEEE SoSE, Kongsburg, No, 2026. In Press.
Anaroua F, Watson BC, and Babiceanu R, “Quantifying Security Induced Overhead in Vision Based UAS Traffic Monitoring Pipelines,” ICNS 2026. Best Paper UAS/UTM Track.
Capuano J, Pallen A, Gratton G, Kendall M, Watson BC, “Demonstration of a Novel Biologically Inspired Swarm Consensus Algorithm in a Simulated Search and Rescue Case Study,” CSER 2026. In Press.
George N, Sen Kilic E, Watson BC, “A quorum sensing algorithm for emergent multi-agent system organization,” CSER 2026, In Press.
Neubert A, Watson BC, “Interplay between Physical Design Choices and Emergent Cyber System Consensus: A Case Study with an Underwater Swarm,” CSER 2026, In Press.
Nanjamma S, Watson BC, “Scoping Literature Review on Bio-Inspired Design in Satellite Systems Engineering Lifecycle,” AIAA SCITECH, 2026.
Sessions S, Watson BC, “Leveraging Information Theory & Graph Theory to Monitor Communication Networks in Team Settings,” AIAA SCITECH, 2026.
Neubert A, Watson BC, “Interplanetary Colonization and Multi-Agent Systems: A Systematized Literature Review” AIAA SCITECH, 2026.
Otalvaro RG, Watson BC, Soft Actor-Critic Reinforcement Learning Approach to Multi-Drone 3D Terrain Scanning and Target Detection in Search and Rescue Operations,” AIAA SCITECH, 2026.
McGurn J, Watson BC, “Utilizing Discrete Event Simulation to Optimize Flight Dispatch Routes," AIAA SCITECH, 2026.
2025
Oltavaro RG, Watson BC, “Bifurcation Analysis for System Resilience: A Case Study on Power Infrastructure,” INCOSE International Symposium, 2025, In Press.
Hand J, Watson BC, “MilliSwarm: Leveraging Emergence for Energy Efficient Robotic Swarm Movement,” INCOSE International Symposium, 2025, In Press.
Dutkiewicz M, Murphy A, Watson BC, “Enhancing the Quality of Biologically Inspired Solutions in a Classroom Design Task,” 2025 ASEE Annual Conference, In Press.
Pointer N, Gesun J, Watson BC, “WIP: Relationships between Biometric Indicators and Psychological Experiences of Thriving,” 2025 ASEE Annual Conference, In Press.
Kale R, Hand J, Teed N, Jones D, and Watson, BC, “Swarm Test Arena for Resilient Systems: An experimental setup to study and test bio-inspired algorithms,” 2025 ASEE Annual Conference, In Press.
Teed N, Watson BC, “The Impact of Cybersecurity Research in Problem-Solving Through a Swarm Infiltration Exercise,” 2025 ASEE Annual Conference, In Press.
Hand J, Watson BC, “Faulted Agent Resilience in Multi-Agent Systems: An Exploration of Two Ant Inspired Strategies,” INCOSE International Symposium, 2025. Winner: Brian Mar Best Student Paper Award
Maysha F, Watson BC, “Kinship Infrastructure Design: A Biologically Inspired Approach for Emergency Response Systems,” CSER 2025, Long Beach, CA, March 18-21, 2025.
Gratton G, Watson BC, “Evaluation of a Biologically-Inspired Multi-Agent System Consensus Algorithm to Develop Application Insights,” CSER 2025, Long Beach, CA, March 18-21, 2025.
2024
Gracia Otalvaro R, Watson BC, “Barriers to Sustainable System Evolution: A Simulation Study Exploring the Transition From Private to Public Transportation,” 2024 ASME IDETC-CIE, Washington DC, August 25-28, 2024; pp 1-10.
Wira, J, Watson BC, “Sandpiper Food Search Algorithm: A New Optimization Algorithm with Limited Knowledge,” 2024 ASME IDETC-CIE, Washington DC, August 25-28, 2024.
Chaback B, Watson BC, “Designing A Student Success Framework with Zachman Architecture,”2024 ASEE Annual Conference, Portland OR, June 23-26, 2024.
Newell JM, Watson B. “Academic Parallels from a Military Merit List.” In 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland OR, June 23-26, 2024.
Gesun, J., Swan, R. and Watson BC, 2024, June. “An Ecosystem Analysis of Engineering Thriving with Emergent Properties at the Micro, Meso, and Macro Levels.” In 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland OR, June 23-26, 2024.
Rogoll, O., Wierzbanowski, B., & Watson BC “Evaluating the Scalability and Combinatorial Effectiveness of Design-for-Resilience Heuristics.” INCOSE International Symposium, Dublin, IR, 34(1), July 2-6, 2024. pp 599-613.
Gracia Otalvaro R, Watson BC, “A Framework to use Bifurcation Analysis for Insight into Complex Systems Resilience,” INCOSE International Symposium, Dublin, IR, 34(1), July 2-6, 2024. pp 2384-2399.
Pallen A, Watson BC, “A New Multi-Agent System Consensus Algorithm Inspired by Synchronous Turtle Hatching Behavior,” CSER 2024, Tuscon, AZ, March 25-27, 2024, pp 229-250.
Gorthey J, Maysha F, Watson BC, “A New Biological Inspired Resource Allocation Algorithm for Distributed Multi-Agent Systems with Limited Knowledge,” CSER 2024, Tuscon, AZ, March 25-27, 2024, pp 473-487.
2023
Covello C, Jung H, Watson BC, “Using Graph Theory to Investigate the Role of Expertise on Infrastructure Evolution: A Case Study Examining the Game Factorio.” CSER 2023, Newark, NJ, 297-311.
2022
Watson, BC, Bras B, “,” 29th CIRP Conference on Life Cycle Engineering, Procedia CIRP, 2022; 105; 231-236
2021
Jastrzembski, M. Watson, BC, Weissburg M, Bras B, 2021, “,” Proceedings of the ASME 2021 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition. Volume 13: Design, Reliability, Safety, and Risk. Virtual, Online. November 1-4, 2021. pp 1-9.
Murphy, A., Watson, BC, Tomko, M., Hilton, E., Linsey, J., 2021, “,” Proceedings of the ASME 2020 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference. August 17-19, 2021.pp 1-17.
Hernandez I, Watson, BC, Weissburg M, Bras B, 2021, “,” Proceedings of the ASME 2020 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference. August 17-19, 2021. pp 1-12.
2020
Watson BC, Sanaya K, Malone S, Weissburg M, Bras B, “Validation of a Systems of Systems Resilience Metric Utilizing a Biodiversity Test Bed,” Proceedings of the ASME 2020 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Volume 6: Design, Systems, and Complexity. Virtual, Online. November 16-19, 2020. pp 1-10.
Watson BC, Weissburg M, Bras B, “,” Proceedings of the ASME 2020 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference. Volume 8: 32nd International Conference on Design Theory and Methodology (DTM). Virtual, Online. August 17-19, 2020. pp 1-13.
Watson BC, Weissburg M, Bras B, “,” 2020 IEEE International Systems Conference (SysCon), Virtual, Online. 2020, pp. 1-9.
2019
Watson, BC, & Telenko, C. “,” Proceedings of the ASME 2019 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference. Volume 2A: 45th Design Automation Conference. Anaheim, California, USA. August 18-21, 2019. pp 1-12.
2018
Watson BC, Telenko C. “,” Proceedings of the ASME 2018 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition. Volume 13: Design, Reliability, Safety, and Risk. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. November 9-15, 2018. pp 1-12.
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Associated Labs & Facilities
- Daytona Beach College of Engineering
- Daytona Beach Campus
- A research lab applying biologically inspired design.
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Dr. Bryan WatsonAssistant Professor
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science