Analyzing mechanics of butterflies in flight

An undergraduate engineering student at Johns Hopkins University, Tiras Lin, has used high-speed, high-resolution cameras to gain a new perspective on the mechanics of a painted lady butterflys flight patterns. Information gathered from his research may be used to construct better designs for micro aerial vehicles that could be used by the United States military.

Topics: Biomimicry

Robots mimic snake's energy efficient motion

Researchers from Georgia Tech are designing a compact all-terrain robot using snakes as an inspiration for energy efficiency. The Saclybot 2 can go anywhere without using large amounts of power and replicates the rectilinear locomotion of the snakes.

Snakes don’t need to bend their bodies laterally to move, instead lifting their ventral scales and pulling themselves forward by sending a muscular travelling wave from head to tail. Replicating this rectilinear motion, the Scalybot 2 can automatically change the angle of its scales on different terrains and slopes, allowing the robot to fight or generate friction.

Topics: Biomimicry

Using nature's spiral to improve industrial design

Fans use an enormous amount of the worlds electricity. But Jay Harmons spiral-inspired model works like most of the natural world—nearly effortlessly.

Topics: Biomimicry

Making cement the way coral does it: Out of thin air

The creation of cement is an incredibly polluting process, but Stanford scientist Bret Constanz has found a way to mimic the way coral works, by creating cement from CO2 and water.

Topics: Biomimicry

Janine Benyus: 12 sustainable design ideas from nature

In this inspiring talk about recent developments in biomimicry, Janine Benyus provides heartening examples of ways in which nature is already influencing the products and systems we build. Biomimicry is innovation inspired by nature. People are always looking for more sustainable ways of doing things but organisms already know how to do that. We just need to tap this knowledge. Biomimicry calls for biologists to be brought to the design table. Natural systems are scrutinized deeply.
It isnt just about learning about the natural world; it is about learning from it. Redesigning our world to fit in with natures requires us to address 3 key questions:
1. How does life make things?
2. How does life make the most of things?
3. How does life make things disappear into systems?
The sustainable ideas depicted in this video include self assembly (Shells like the mother of pearl which is stronger than our ceramics), CO2 as feedstock (Plants do not see CO2 as poison, we do), solar transformations, power of shape (Whale fins, color without pigments, cleaning without detergents), quenching thirst (Certain bugs can pull water from fog or air), metals without mining (microbes that break down minerals), green chemistry (Spider), timed degradation (Mussels), resilience and healing, sensing and response (Locusts), growing fertility (Increasing net fertility farming). Life creates conditions that are conducive to life. The sustainable world already exists; humans are beginning to realize too late that we need to look to nature to co-exist.

Topics: Biomimicry

The Gecko & Biomimicry

The gecko is a wonderful reptile that uses its sticky feet, not claws, to climb. The feet look delicate, but have a phenomenal grip. The total sticking power of one foot is sufficient to support the weight of a child and the sticking power of a gecko walking upside down can support a backpack weighing 90 pounds.
The strength to stick comes from tiny velveteen hairs. A geckos foot is covered with half a million hairs, each much much finer than a human hair. At the tip of each hair, there are even smaller fibers. There are more than a billion of these split end-type fibers on each foot. Inter molecular forces act between the foot and the surface. At this level of intimacy, the molecules in both the Geckos foot and surface become charged and are attracted to one another- not like magnetism, but more like a molecular embrace.
To stay on, the gecko has to continually reposition/readjust its feet. Unsticking is achieved by curling their toes. When the angle between a geckos foot and the surface reaches to about 30 degrees, the molecular attraction is broken.
The geckos sticking ability has been widely studied to replicate this phenomenal grip. Artificial gecko hairs have uses in micro surgery, computer chips and robotics. They may be used in dangerous rescue missions. Gecko tapes are trying to replicate the exact qualities of the geckos feet- powerful, staying clean even after unsticking from surface, working under water, in vacuum or in zero-gravity.

Topics: Biomimicry

The Mirasol effect: Biomimicry

The Mirasol display technology borrows from nature- the shimmer of a butterflys wing or a peacocks feather is used as the basis for its display design. The technology basically takes ambient light straight to the surface and works to modulate it and send it back.
The San Diego Zoo is a leader in advancing biomimicry for sustainable and efficient design solutions.
Nature is simple and energy efficient. We need to look to nature and learn from it.

Topics: Biomimicry

Biomimicry: Mimicking Squid Skin To Create Perfect Camouflage

Cephalopods have the amazing ability to match their backgrounds almost perfectly, and in seconds. Scientists are just now tapping into that power to give man-made objects the same property, creating a new generation of stealth.

Topics: Biomimicry

What is Biomimicry?

Biomimicry is innovation inspired by nature.
People are looking for more sustainable ways of doing things but organisms already know how to do that. We just need to tap this knowledge.
Biologists are brought to the design table. Natural systems are scrutinized deeply.
The sustainable world already exists; humans are beginning to realize too late that we need to look to nature to co-exist

Topics: Biomimicry

Cell Test Dummies - Pure Energy - The Solar song

The video of the Q-Cells band. Shot at their headquarter in Germany. The song was written and performed by the band members working for the company. Celebrated at PV energy trade shows in California/USA, Italy, Spain and Germany. Rocknroll! Go solar! Party!