Final answer:
The passage provides an extended definition of biomimicry by giving context and examples of how technology is inspired by nature.
Step-by-step explanation:
The excerpt from the passage provides an extended definition of the term biomimicry. An extended definition goes beyond a simple dictionary definition to provide more context, usage, and examples, which the passage does by explaining how certain technologies mimic natural designs. The text demonstrates this by listing analogies of inventions, such as airplanes and ultrasonic walking canes, which were inspired by characteristics present in birds and how bats or dolphins navigate using echolocation.