Bio-inspired (BID)- inspiration from nature

The Beetle Project - visual surfaces inspired by nature

Textiles - Smart and structural textiles and composites

Flexform - flexible production tools for free form surfaces

Foresigt for innovators

Interests: Material innovation, biomimetics, aestethic surfaces, thin layer surface technology, composite materials technology, material and process selection, design for manufacturing, dissemination of manufacturing knowledge, reverse engineering and rapid prototyping.

Torben Lenau is associate professor at Department of Management Engineering. His research on integrated material design and biomimetics is focused on cross disciplinary innovative processes within material selection and material development. This includes design for manufacturing, material databases (Torben Lenau is responsible for the development of www.designinsite.dk), cost and environmental consequences, and "soft" intangible product description attributes. Innovative design processes is approached using analogy search and biomimetics and through active participation in forefront material development projects. A present project concerns new types of nano-structured visually aesthetic surfaces utilizing structural colours and interference inspired by nature. Another project is flex-form - flexible tooling for single-production of free-form shapes. Torben Lenau has published more than 50 articles in refereed journals and conference proceedings.

Torben Lenau holds a bachelor in Manufacturing engineering (1982), a master in engineering design (1985) and a Ph.D. (1989) in design for manufacturing from The Technical University of Denmark (DTU). This was followed by a post doc. position at DTU, guest researcher at Brunel University and a period as project manager at IPU - The Institute for Product Development. The industrial IPU-projects concerned Environmental guidelines for product families (description in Danish) and Ecodesign of plastic products.

Torben Lenau s the coordinator of graduate studies in Design and Innovation M. Sc. Eng. offered at the Technical University of Denmark and one of the initiators behind the development of the curriculum. He has worked with integrated design and cross diciplinary education programs in collaboration with The Danish Design School, Copenhagen Business School and The Royal Academy of Art. He teaches courses at undergraduate and graduate levels within manufacturing technology, CAD/CAM, light and materials, product analysis and redesign as well as holistic design. This includes team based project oriented teaching of larger students groups.

Courses: Torben Lenau teaches and is one of the teachers in charge for the courses 42020 Product analysis and redesign and 42070 Holistic design (courses at the Design & Innovation education). He teaches Rapid Prototyping, graphic visualisation and CAM / NC-programming at the DTU courses 41816, 41817 and 41818. He is also part of the teaching team in 02569 Light and materials where his responsibility is the experimental part of the course. Earlier teaching includes Integrated Design from 1998-2001, DTU course number 42373, 42374 which is an interdisciplinary course offered in collaboration between DTU, Danmarks Designskole and Copenhagen Business School. In the spring term 2001 he also offered the course "Kunstproduktion" (Art Production) in collaboration with the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Visual Arts. In 2002 and 2003 he taught the joined courses 41634 and 41658 Product development in collaboration with the Department of Mechanical Engineering (from spring 2003 the course number changed to 41638).

He is presently involved in the development of the Design & Innovation education (bachelor and graduate level).

Final year students
Mark Vedel and Jacob Siegumfeldt: Process planning for prismatic parts (01/04/1987-31/03/1988)
Wilhelm E. Petersen: Fail diagnosis on large diesel motors (01/08/1988-31/01/1989)
Susanne Urhøj: Computer supported tool design for powder compaction (-03/1990)
Leif Horn Nielsen: Design rules for pressure die casting (-07/1990)
Lars Christian Mathiesen and Thomas Algren: Production preparation in smaller companies (-08/1990)
Henrik Stig Borstrøm: CAD design and production (1991-01/1992)
Michael Dupont Jensen and Morten Per Jørgensen: Computer aided process planning with ICEM Part (01/03/1993-31/08/1993)
Ove M.V.Kalum Jensen: Experience feedback from production (-09/1993)
Jette Skødt and Thomas Egebøl: The role of pressure die casting in a modern production (-31/08/1994)
Thomas Aakjær Jensen: Process and material catalogue for engineering designers (04/1994-10/1994)
Andrea Mazzili: Manufacturing survey in France, Italy and Spain with emphasis on ceramic materials (1995-1996)
Poul Bundgaard Hansen and Karsten Gotved: Productivity improvements in section 22 at Radiometer Medical (01/09/1996-31/08/1997)
Mads Hartvig Jensen and Kasper Brehmer: Development of modular pump (01/09/1997 - 31/08/98)
Ole Christian Madsen: Selection of composites - Information requirements (01/09/1997 - 31/01/1998)
Per Ravn Hermansen: Disposal of electrical products (14/09/1998 - 01/03/1999))
Giovanni Lucchetta: Life cycle assessment for furniture (01/03/1999 - 31/07/1999)
Ruben Sebastian: Design Guidelines for hand lay-up composites (12/02/1999 - 31/07/1999)
Thomas Rønnow Olesen: Involving users in development of userinterfaces and designmodels (10/01/2001 - 30/06/2001)
Dennis Brian Nielsen: Design of blod glucose-meter (02/02/2001- 02/08/2001)
Thomas Sørensen: Userinterface and Communication for integrated blodglocosis meter (15/01/2001 - 17/12/2001)
Tomas Brink Schiønning: Product sound and user interface for insulin device (19/03/2001-01/06/2001)
Oskar Myhre Broberg og Jesper Bruun Jensen: Production preparation for 3D-mouse (30/10/2000 - 14/9/2001)
Poul Laksafoss: Ultra light composite aircraft (1/3-30/9-2006)
Jakob Grupe Larsen og Anders Helbo Hansen: Aktiv ventilation i Velux vinduer (6/2-31/7-2008)
Nikolaj Kjelgaard Vedel-Smith:Tool to facilitate versatile shaping (september 2008-maj 2009)
Troels Holm Pedersen: Tool to facilitate versatile shaping (concrete facade elements) (september 2008-maj 2009)
Thor Højlund Olsen & Peter Friederichsen: Development of equipment for laparoscopy (1/9-2008-28/2-2009)
Henrik Zinck Østergaard: Aid for shift of position (1/9-2008-1/3-2009) - supervised together with Steen Dawids
Erik Haastrup Müller and Andreas Vinner: Power platforms to 3rd world countries (1/10-2008-30/4-2009)
Elisabeth Heimdal: Interactive Inspirationel Tool for Smart Textiles (5/1-2009-3/7-2009)
Sebastian Sztuk and Thomas Lunding Berg: Theft protection of bicycles (2/2-2009-3/8-2009)
Thórunn M. Ingvarsdóttir and Tómas Vignir Gudlaugsson: Adaptive leg prosthesis (1/9-2009 - 28/2-2010)
Karen Marie Hasling: Solar Cells in Composites (1/2-2010 - 1/8-2010) supervised together with Tom Løgstrup Andersen, DTU-Risø
Martin Aggerbeck: Decorative and corrosion resistant surfaces (1/3-2010 - 31/8-2010) supervised together with Rajan Ambat, DTU-Mekanik
Anders Harthøj: Corrosion Protection of Metallic Interconnects for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (15/3-2010 - 31/8-2010) supervised together with Per Møller, DTU Mekanik
Meiken Hansen and Hannah Vermund Franzel: Handling equiment for immobilized patients (1/9-2010 - 28-2-2011)
Lars Drøgemüller Kjeldsen: Intermittent Catheter Set for Men (1/9-2010 - 28-2-2011)
Eva Sunekær and Nicolaj Moll: Redesign and Optimization of Industrial Rotary Jet Heads (1/2-2011 - 31/7-2011) Supervised together with Sofiane Achiche, DTU Management and Jens Honore Walter, DTU Mekanik
Morten Georg Jensen and Anders Sund Nielsen: Robot for assessment of skin adhesive performance (1/9-2011-29/2-2012)
Rasmus Lage: Corrosion quality in stainless steel on industrial surfaces (15/10-2011 - 14/5-2012) Together with Per Møller
Michael Fritze Rasmussen: Agile product development for manual concrete vibration (15/2-31/8-2012)
Katrine Skovbjerg Jensen: High quality single-use transportation box (30/1-20/7-2012) Together with Claus Thorp Hansen.
Stine Ziska Jensen & Birka Dregart Larsen: Maturing of efficient and non-toxic rat trap (31/1-31/7-2012)

Bachelor-projects
Maria Bjerregaard Andersen, Louise Laumann Kjær, Kira Gizella Olah Thume, Rasmus Vistesen: Portable Vessel (Bærbart fartøj) (1/2-25/6-2005)
Christian Boksic, Jonas Brix, Jonas Rohde Frederiksen, Jais Ask Hansen: MHE - Multiple Headspace Extraction - Pressuration module for Gas Chromotographic Equipment (1/2-25/6-2005)
Signe Pedersen, Rikke Premer Petersen, Marie Louise Larsen, Thor Højlund Olsen: Shelter for refugees (30/1-26/6-2006) - supervised together with Hanne Lindegaard
Shin Knudsen, Henriette Nielsen, Tobias Toft, Anders Klose Dahlfelt, Peter Friderichsen: Water proof bags (30/1-26/6-2006)
Marinus Nejrup, Peter Nielsen: Flexible music shielding (1/2-15/6-2007)
Martin Agerbæk, Lars Elmgreen: Auxiliaries for disabled children/young people (1/2-15/6-2007) - supervised together with Hanne Lindegaard
Morten Lunde, Lasse Decker: Auxiliaries for disabled children/young people (1/2-15/6-2007) - supervised together with Hanne Lindegaard
Andreas Anderssen Tjelflåt og Rune Fogh: Redesign af skannerrobot hos Force Technology (4/2-18/6-2008)
Hannah Vermund Franzel og Meiken Hansen: Bæredygtighed og klimatopmøde (4/2-18/6-2008) - supervised together with Stig Olsen
Niels Skovby Rahbek og Bjørn Gjedde Kristensen: Redsign af kundevogn for INCO (4/2-18/6-2008)
Jakob Sindballe-Lauritsen og Niels Rask Olsen: Aerodynamisk drikkedunk (4/2-18/6-2008)
Steffen Nielsen og Andreas Lolle: Brolæggerredskab (4/2-18/6-2008) - supervised together with Hanne Lindegaard
Rasmus Lage: Human powered products, (1/9-2008-14/1-2009)
Anders Sund Nielsen og Jakob Filippson Parslov: Redesign of Bycycle Helmet, (2/2-15/6-2009)
Eva Elina Nielsen og Kim Christian Thomsen: Biological inspired safe transportation of wheelchairs (1/2-2010 - 14/6-2010) supervised together withSøsser Brodesen
Oliver Valsgaard: Redesigning the M/84 combat uniform, supervised together with Elisabeth Heimdahl (31/1-13/6-2011)
Nikolaj Purup and Philip Fleisher:Rickshaw Ambulance, transport of patients in rural Indian area (31/1-24/6-2011)
Benjamin Nicky Teinby and Christian Windfeld Kaiser: Non-destructive fastening of roof tarp (30/1-11/6-2012)
Annemette Bøgedal Jensen and Ida Kjærsgaard Nielsen: Needle integration in next generation pre-filled devices(30/1-11/6-2012)
Pernille Randrup Vergmann and Gabriel Rønne Kure: Redesign of ECG mobile unit (30/1-11/6-2012)
Simon Fisker Strøm & Lasse Skovgaard Jensen: Vertical chute system for evacuation of people in pssenger ships (30/1-11/6-2012)


Phd-projects
Wilhelm Petersen: A common Language for Integrated Engineering Design and Process Planning (1989-1992)
Jan Haudrum: Creating the Basis for Process Selection in the Design Stage (1991-1994)
Niki Bey: Environmental Evaluation in Materials and Process Selection (1997-2000)
Bin Liu: Accellerometer development based on FEM modelling.(1998-2001)
Max Munnecke: Foresight for innovators (2005-2010)
Martin Skjødt: Rapid Prototyping by Asymmetric Single Point Incremental Forming of Sheet Metal (2005-2008)
Elisabeth Heimdal: Integrated Innovation with Textile Materials (2009-2013)
Karen Marie Hasling: Textiles and composites (2012-2015)

Chairman of the KPBMT Ph.D.-program (2002-2005)
Coordinator of the Ms.Sc.-program Manufacturing and Management (2001-2005)
Coordinator of the Ms.Sc.-program Design and Innovation (2005-2010)
Member of the central education commitee at DTU (2005-2011)
Member of the IPL teaching committee (2001-2008)
Chairman of the IPL-workshop committee (1997-2006)

Manufacturing information
Design inSite
Ingeniørskolernes Procesdatabase (DTU-site)
Ingeniørskolernes Procesdatabase (AUC-site)

University
Huskeliste for review af artikler (in Danish)
Carsten Sørensen: This is not an article

Environment (Miljø)
List of environmental links in Design inSite.
Sustainable design, course material 2001 (In Danish).

Design
360 degree view of Ron Arads Studio on the Core site
Danmarks Designskole
Designskolen Kolding
Kunstakademiets Arkitektskole
Aarhus Arkitektskole
Premsela (The Netherlands Design Institute)
Dansk Design Center (Danish Design Centre)

Other
The magical world of Thomas Nissen
IPU - Institute for Product Development
MIT Technology Review

Torben Lenau, Ole Willum, Niels Frees, Stig Irving Olsen: Green development within product families, Electronics goes green 2000+ conference, Berlin 11-13 september 2000.

Torben Lenau, Niki Bey: Design of environmentally friendly products using indicators, International Journal of Manufacturing Engineering, Vol 215 Part B, 2001, p.637-645.

Torben Lenau: Material and process selction using product examples, Euromat 2001 Rimini, june 2001, 8 pages.

Torben Lenau: Bæredygtig Design, IPL, DTU, Undervisningsnote, januar 2001, 9 sider (In Danish).

Torben Lenau: Material and process selction using product examples, Advanced Engineering Materials 2002, 4, no. 6, 351-356, Wiley-WCH-Verlag.

Torben Lenau, Niels Frees, Stig Irving Olsen, Ole Willum, Christine Molin, Henrik Wenzel: Miljørigtig udvikling i produktfamilier - en håndbog, Miljøstyrelsen, Miljønyt nr. 67, 2002, 168 pages (In Danish)

L.H.Shu, T.A.Lenau, H.N.Hansen, L.Alting: Biomimetics applied to centeringin micro-assembly, CIRP-annals 2003, vol 52/1/2003, p.101-104.

Kara W. Johnsson, Torben Lenau, Mike F.Ashby: The Aestetic and Perceived Attributes of Products, ICED 2003, Stockholm.

Niki Bey, Torben Lenau, Ole Willum, Birgit Storm, Kristina Elverbakken: Ecodesign, plast og innovation, Plastindustrien i Danmark, 2003, 163 pages (in Danish).

Torben Lenau, Per Boelskifte: Soft and hard product attributes in design, The second Nordcode seminar, Helsinki, oct. 2003.

Torben Lenau, Per Boelskifte: Soft and hard product attributes in design, The working paper F28, University of Art and Design in Helsinki , Helsinki, april. 2004, ISBN 951-558-133-8, p.6-13.

Torben Lenau, Per Boelskifte: Semantik og materialevalg, Konference om Digitale designprodukter, Kolding Designskole, jan. 2004

Torben Lenau og Per Boelskifte: Communication of semantic properties, The 3rd Nordcode seminar, Lyngby 29-30/4-2004.

Klavs Helweg-Larsen, Torben Lenau, Tore Kristensen, Susanne Malling, Jan Pasternak: Integreret Design, Danmarks Designskole 2004, 200 sider, ISBN 87-990222-0-6.

Torben Lenau: Forskning og forskeruddannelse i Design & Innovation paa DTU og i Danmark, NorFA workshop: Forskerutbildningsnetvärk teknisk design och industridesign, Gøteborg 27-28 september 2004.

Torben Lenau: Design & Materialer - udvikling & innovation, Konference om materialer og innovation i oplevelsessamfundet, Risø 22 november 2004.

Torben Lenau, Per Boelskifte & Claus Thorp Hansen: Impressions from the 3rd Nordcode Seminar & Workshop, The working paper F30, University of Art and Design in Helsinki, 2005, ISBN 951-558-135-4 (2005), 7-10.

Torben Lenau og Per Boelskifte: Products search through the use of semantic properties - report from the experiment at Kunstindustrimuseet, The working paper F30, University of Art and Design in Helsinki, 2005, ISBN 951-558-135-4 (2005), p.11-23.

Torben Lenau og Per Boelskifte: Verbal communication of semantic content in products, Nordes conference "In the making", May 30 - 31, 2005, Copenhagen.

Torben Lenau and Michael Barfoed: Material Innovation - inspired by nature, Danish Metallurgical Society - Annual Winter Meeting, Middelfart 10-12 January 2007, 10 pages.

Torben Lenau, Michael Barfoed and Li Shu: Challenges in biomimetic design and innovation, Poster at the conference 'Bioinspired Nanotechnologies for Smarter Products', 20th - 21st March 2007 at the Society of Chemical Industry, London, organised by The Institute of Nanotechnology.

Torben Lenau and Michael Barfoed: Teknisk udvikling med inspiration i naturen, Teknisk Nyt Special, Nr. 5a, Vol. 14, April 2007, p.25-26.

M. Skjoedt, M.B.Silva, N.Bay, P.A.F.Martins, and T.Lenau: Single point incremental forming using a dummy sheet, ICNFT-the 2nd international conference on forming technology, Bremen, 20-21 september 2007, 10 pages.

Torben Lenau and Michael Barfoed: Colours and metallic sheen in beetle shells- a biomimetic search for material structuring principles causing light interference, Journal of Advanced Engineering Materials, vol.10, no. 4, 2008, 299-314, DOI: 10.1002/adem.200700346.

Krestine Mougaard, Henriette Nielsen, Mikkel Proschowsky, Tobias Toft, Thor Højlund Olsen, Max Munnecke, Torben Lenau: Practice theory as a tool for innovation, SIDeR 2008, March 27 – March 28, 2008, Sønderborg, Denmark, ACM 978-1-60558-012-8/08/04.

Torben Lenau and Hanne Lindegaard: Objects, materiality and meaning, Nordcode 2008, May 2008 Lund Sweden.

Torben Lenau, Hyunmin Cheong and Li Shu: Sensing in nature - using biomimetics for design of sensors, Sensor Review, Vol 28-4, 2008, p.311-316. (2009 outstanding paper award).

Michael Barfoed, Erik Skaarup and Torben Lenau: Oxygenation by wave-energy - an approach to tackle the effects of eutrophication, Draft paper, 2008.

Marie Louise Larsen, Torben Lenau : Durable Residual Wall Lining (DL) Installation Concepts and Acceptability as an IRS Replacement Tool for Malaria Vector Control, The 5th MIM Pan-African Malaria Conference, November 2009.

Torben Lenau: New and smart materials - why and how, The Smart Space Conference, Vingstedcentret, Denmark, 11. December 2008.

Torben Lenau: Bionik - med naturen som forbillede (Biomimetics - with nature as a role model), Radio program, Danmarks Radio p1 Videnskabens Verden 4. oktober 2008 kl. 16-17, can be heard or pod-casted from http://dr.dk/P1/Videnskabensverden/Udsendelser/2008/10/07101057.htm (in Danish).

Torben Lenau: Biomimetics – new and improved solutions inspired by nature, Invited viewpoint article, Sensor Review, Vol.29-2, 2009, p.96.

Torben Lenau and Stine Brahm Lauritsen: Foresight, trends and materials – inspiration for future products, Working paper for the 8th Nordcode seminar and workshop, may 27-29, 2009, Kolding School of Design, Denmark

Elisabeth Heimdal, Torben A. Lenau, Michel Guglielmi and Hanne-Louise Johannessen: Interactive Sample Book (ISB) – An Inspirational Tool for Smart Textiles, Working paper for the 8th Nordcode seminar and workshop, 27-29 May 2009, Kolding Denmark.

Torben Lenau (2009) Biomimetics as a design methodology – possibilities and challenges, International Conference on Engineering Design, ICED'09 24 - 27 august 2009, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.

Torben Lenau (2009) Approaches to mimic the metallic sheen in beetles, SPIE Optics & Photonics - The Biomimetics and Bioinspiration conference, 2-6 August 2009, San Diego, USA, art.no 740107.

Torben Lenau og Elisabeth Heimdal (2009) Textiles and innovation at DTU, Future Textiles - – theme day on technological and intelligent textiles, Centre for Textile Research, Copenhagen University, 3. November 2009.

T. Lenau, A. Dentel, Þ. Ingvarsdóttir and T. Guðlaugsson (2010) Engineering Design of an Adaptive Leg Prosthesis Using Biological Principles, In: proceedings from Design 2010 conference, Dubrovnik, Croatia, pp 331-340

Torben Lenau (2010) Materialevalg med inspiration i naturen, Præsentation på Materialedagen 2010, Dansk Selskab for Materialeprøvning og -Forskning (DSM), DTU 22 april 2010.

Lenau, Torben Anker; Cheong, Hyunmin; Shu, Li (2010) Sensing in nature: using biomimetics for design of sensors, Measurement and Control 43.2:58-61 (Awarded best paper of the year)

Torben Lenau (2010) Inspiration i naturen, Inviteret artikel til til 'Akademisk kvarter' i temanummer om materialer i INFORM 0310, udgivet af Danske Designere, sommer 2010, s.30.

Elisabeth Heimdal and Torben Lenau (2010) Physical tools for textile creativity and invention, Duck Journal for Research in Textiles and Textile Design, Loughborough University, ISSN: 2042-0854, summer 2010 Volume 1

Troels H. Pedersen and Torben Lenau (2010) Variable Geometry Casting of Concrete Elements Using Pin-Type Tooling, J. Manuf. Sci. Eng. -- December 2010 -- Volume 132, Issue 6, 061015 (10 pages) doi:10.1115/1.4003122

Claus Thorp Hansen and Torben Lenau (2011) Develloping Enginering Design Core Competences through Analysis of Industrial Products, Proceedings of the 7th International CDIO Conference, Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen, June 20 - 23, 2011

Torben Lenau and Christina Okai Mejborn (2011) Solving Global Problems Using Collaborative Design Processes, International Conference for Engineering Design, ICED11 15 - 18 August 2011, Technical University of Denmark

Torben Lenau, Katharina Helten, Clemens Hepperle, Sebastian Schenkl, Udo Lindemann (2011) Reducing Cinsequences of Car Collision Using Inspiration from Nature, IASDR2011 4th World Conference on Design Research, Delft The Netherlands, 31 October-4 November 2011.

Nikolaj Vedel-Smith and Torben Lenau (2012) Casting Traceability with Direct Part Marking using Reconfigurable Pin-Type Tooling based on Paraffin-Graphite Actuators, Journal of Manufacturing Systems, Publiced online: 23-JAN-2012 DOI information: 10.1016/j.jmsy.2011.12.001

T. Lenau (2012) Nature inspired structural colour applications, In: Biomimetic Photonics, ed. Olaf Karthaus, Taylor & Francis (in production)

T. Lenau & T. Hesselberg:  Experiences from a cross-disciplinary approach to top-down biomimetic design, 2012 (Paper under review)

Claus Thorp Hansen and Torben Anker Lenau: A Product Analysis Method to Develop Competences to Concieve Product Requirements, Advances in Engeering Education 2012 (first version accepted, second verion under review)

C.M. White , T.J. Howard, T. Lenau: Oppertunities and barriers to straw construction,  ASME 2012 (first paper version accepted, second version in preparation)

T. Lenau & T. Hesselberg: Self-organising and self-healing within biomimetics, Book-chapter in the writing, 2012