Self-engineering – Technological Challenges

Engineered products are becoming more complex and need longer lifetime availability; there is a need for new approaches in maintaining, repairing and overhaul (MRO). This paper presents the concept of self-engineering; the aim is to preserve the functions of a product or system and extend its lifetime and automate MRO processes. New developments in self-healing materials, self-reconfiguring electronics and robotics, which are already or could be self-engineering systems, are reviewed. Biological healing and repair mechanisms are discussed as a potential source of inspiration for new self-engineering systems. Examples of biological self-engineering are presented. Key technological challenges and research questions which need to be addressed in future self-engineering research are discussed throughout