Aeronautical Inspirations in Biomechanics

Introduction. The goal of the paper is to show that some problems formulated in the dynamics of atmospheric flight are very similar to the problems formulated in the biomechanics of motion and medicine. Three problems were compared: minimumheat transfer from the boundary layer to the ballistic missile skin, minimum-time ski descent, and the minimisation of the negative cumulated effect of the drug in cancer chemotherapy. Material and methods. All these problems are solved using the same method originally developed for aerospace systems - the method of Miele (the extremisation method of linear integrals via Green’s theorem). Results. It is shown that the problems arising in different branches of knowledge are very similar in problem formulations, mathematical models, and solution methods used. Conclusions. There are no barriers between different disciplines.