A capstone design project successfully developed an interactive Unity application and lesson plan that uses bio-inspired animal vision concepts to engage middle school students in STEM learning.
Objective: The main goal of this study was to design, develop, and test a capstone design project that integrates bio-inspired artificial intelligence and vision concepts into K-12 lesson modules, specifically targeting middle school students (grades 6-8) to enhance their engagement and interest in STEM careers. The project aimed to address the limited availability of bio-inspired design concepts in K-12 curricula while providing engineering students with meaningful project experience that could benefit public education.
Methods: The study employed a systematic capstone design methodology conducted over two semesters at the University of Georgia College of Engineering. Senior engineering students worked as a team to develop an educational product following established design processes including stakeholder requirements analysis, Quality Function Deployment (QFD), and prototype development. The team created a Unity application that demonstrates three distinct natural biomes (temperate forest, marine, and savanna) from both human and animal perspectives, featuring white-tailed deer, sea turtles, and elephants respectively. The application used filters and manual recoloring of Unity assets to simulate biological vision characteristics. Additionally, the team developed an educational lesson plan aligned with Georgia Standards of Learning, incorporating Google Classroom integration with biome-specific quizzes (three open-ended questions per biome) and a comprehensive ten-question final quiz. The design specifications included accessibility, educational value, compliance with learning standards, student engagement, teacher acceptability, and cost considerations.
Key Findings: The project successfully created a functional prototype that met the established design requirements for demonstrating bio-inspired vision intelligence to middle school students. The Unity application effectively showcased the unique visual capabilities of each animal: white-tailed deer's enhanced predator detection and color discrimination abilities, sea turtles' underwater vision and bioluminescence detection capabilities, and elephants' enhanced field of vision and light sensitivity. The lesson plan successfully aligned with Georgia Education Standards, particularly those involving organism interdependence and evolutionary theory through inherited characteristics. The Google Classroom integration provided an accessible platform for teachers to implement the curriculum with interactive components that encourage critical thinking. During the Engineering Design Showcase, the prototype received positive feedback from industry judges, faculty, and alumni, who provided suggestions for improvements including variable scaling for different grade levels, enhanced camera movement functionality, and broader accessibility through web hosting.
Implications: The findings demonstrate significant potential for integrating bio-inspired design concepts into engineering education curricula while simultaneously benefiting K-12 STEM education. This approach provides engineering students with valuable collaborative and project management skills while creating meaningful educational resources for younger students. The project shows how capstone design experiences can extend beyond traditional engineering applications to address broader educational needs and social impact. The integration of bio-inspired AI and vision concepts into middle school curricula represents an innovative approach to making STEM subjects more relatable and engaging for young learners. The successful alignment with state learning standards demonstrates the feasibility of incorporating advanced concepts like biomimetics and artificial intelligence into age-appropriate educational contexts. The project methodology could serve as a model for other institutions seeking to combine undergraduate engineering education with K-12 outreach initiatives.
Limitations: Several limitations affect the scope and generalizability of this study. The prototype was not tested with actual middle school students or teachers due to time constraints, representing a significant gap between theoretical development and practical validation. The study focused on only three specific animals and biomes, which may limit the comprehensiveness of bio-inspired concepts presented to students. The reliance on Unity programming required specific technical skills that may not be readily available to all educators or institutions. The project was conducted within a specific institutional context (University of Georgia) and aligned with Georgia state standards, potentially limiting transferability to other educational systems. The evaluation was primarily based on engineering design showcase feedback rather than empirical assessment of educational effectiveness with the target K-12 population. Additionally, the five-minute lesson timeline may be insufficient for deeper learning, particularly for younger students who may need more time to process complex concepts.
Future Directions: The researchers suggest several important areas for future investigation and development. Comprehensive testing with actual middle school students and teachers is essential to validate the educational effectiveness and usability of the developed materials. The scope should be expanded to include additional animals and biomes to provide a more comprehensive exploration of bio-inspired vision concepts. Development of web-based hosting capabilities would significantly increase accessibility and eliminate installation requirements for schools. Future iterations should incorporate enhanced interactivity features such as free-roaming camera functionality and object-dropping capabilities to assess color filter effects. Research should explore scaling the product for different grade levels, from primary through high school, to maximize educational impact. Cross-curricular integration opportunities should be investigated to connect bio-inspired concepts with other STEM subjects. Long-term studies are needed to assess the impact of such curricula on student interest in STEM careers and academic performance. Finally, the development of teacher training programs and professional development workshops would support broader adoption and effective implementation of bio-inspired design concepts in K-12 education.
Title and Authors: "Bio-inspired vision intelligence in the middle school curriculum: a capstone design project" by Ramana Pidaparti (University of Georgia, USA) and Suren Jayasuriya (Arizona State University, USA).
Published on: 2025
Published by: Proceedings of the Design Society, Volume 5: ICED25 (International Conference on Engineering Design 2025)