Bio-inspired Innovation and National Security

摘要

This report is designed as an overview of the many applications of biology to the military and national security writ large (with the exception of bioweapons and biomedicine). Policy issues are covered, and original research is presented. The diversity of the authors' backgrounds reflects the breadth of applications and opportunities of biology to modern problems. The reader should walk away enlightened as to the many possible ways in which biology is influencing and will continue to influence national security. Authors were asked to provide foresight on trends and indicators in their areas of interest (but not forecasts, which would describe a single future state) in order to better understand their implications for the next 20 years or so. As Department of Defense (DOD) and other Government agencies move from study and research on bio-inspired innovation toward product development and deployment on a large scale, we hope that this report helps educate current and future leaders in the national security realm to take advantage of opportunities that biotechnology has created and to develop sustained U.S. technological dominance.