eMotionSpheres like a jellyfish swarm
September 13, 2015 | swarm intelligence | Comments (0)
With the eMotionSpheres, Festo shows how several flying objects can move in a coordinated manner and within a defined space. Whether individually or collectively – even in chaotic situations, there are no collisions as the spheres move out of each other’s way. T
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convert airpollution to ink for your desktop-printer?
September 13, 2015 | Post Growth Economy | Comments (0)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqOplj2HSdE
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ultra-small lab equipment based on Bladderworts roots
September 13, 2015 | up/down lift | Comments (0)
One of the smallest traps in the world is inspiring physicists in studies of fluids. Bladderworts are a type of plant that grows in standing water or wet soil, and sometimes in very rough conditions. A unique aspect of this plant is its underwater roots which include many microscopic bladder-like t
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Great view about life and our society from EX president of Uruguay
September 13, 2015 | Post Growth Economy | Comments (0)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GX6a2WEA1Q
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lizard tail for stabilizers
September 13, 2015 | weight | Comments (0)
Lizards are some of the most versatile animals on the planet. Geckoes for example can climb straight up walls, even across glass ceilings upside down. Their feet have been studied to learn how to make better adhesives. Now, lizards are the subject of a new investigation which includes the dinosaurs.
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our brain inspires for supercomputers
September 13, 2015 | swarm intelligence | Comments (0)
Computers have come a long way but they still primitive compared with our own brainpower. Our brains can handle much more information and processing than any supercomputer yet developed. The brain is so far superior to current computers that scientists seek ways to mimic its “wiring” in modern c
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leaf-solar collector; make your own hydrogen
September 13, 2015 | separating | Comments (0)
Solar energy is a popular topic today, and plants provide us with ideas for efficient collection of sunshine energy. During photosynthesis, sunlight converts carbon dioxide into water and sugars which nourish the plant. Worldwide, the daily rate of solar energy absorption by vegetation is six times
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The design of trees helps to reduce plastic waste
September 13, 2015 | weight | Comments (0)
Many trees do not have vertical capillary tubes for transporting water upward. Instead, a spiral network of capillaries and fibers extend the entire length of the tree. This helical geometry strengthens the tree, allowing a greater flexibility or bending motion in high wind or during heavy weight lo
[ read more ]
Building based on mechanical stiffness of sea-sponges
September 13, 2015 | weight | Comments (0)
The Euplectella aspergillum is a cylindrical sponge that lives intropical waters. It has a height of 45 cm. Its exoskeleton consists of hydrated, amorphous silicon dioxide organized into a complexnetwork of spicules that supports the structure. These fibres, whichare 5-10 cm long and as thin as a
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Sea Urchin inspires for Self-sharpening Tools
September 13, 2015 | stability | Comments (0)
The sea urchin is well known for its many outward-pointing spines. However, five symmetric teeth at the center of its body are even more impressive than the spines. These teeth are able to chew through solid rock, making a cavity in which the sea urchin hides and withstands the surge of water curre
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Snail - Robotics
September 13, 2015 | wet instead of dry | Comments (0)
The snail is probably one of the most picked-on creatures in the world. How could this small, slow animal possibly benefit anyone, other than on the French menu as escargot? However, researchers are now copying the design of the snail when making small robots. Technical application: Bio
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bio-inspired spring to reach your tall targets
September 13, 2015 | up/down lift | Comments (0)
It has long been known that many climbing plants produce unusual tendrils for grasping and climbing. When stretched tightly, the spiral-shaped fibers do not unwind to a flat ribbon like a typical spring shape such as a telephone cord. Instead, when stretched, sections of the fiber coil further in t
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ultrathin insulation for buildings inspired by the polar bear
September 13, 2015 | temperature | Comments (0)
Mimicking polar bear fur, which is able to insulate the animal's body to temperatures of 98.6° F (37° C) when outside temperatures get as low as -40° F (-40° C) could lead to better building insulation Technical application: ultrathin insulation Bionic application: pol
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lobster inspired sensors will detect gas, bacteria or mines
September 13, 2015 | transmitter | Comments (0)
Lobsters are master sniffers. In complete watery darkness they are able to smell and locate food, mates, or predators. This ability comes from a pair of antenna which they swing about to capture traces of odor molecules. Technical application: sensors Bionic application: Fu
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Spider Web Glass
September 13, 2015 | use colors | Comments (0)
Certain spiders protect their delicately crafted insect nets with a special silk rope that reflects ultraviolet rays. Birds can see the ultraviolet rays and recognize the webs as obstacles they should avoid. If engineers can reproduce the effect, it might save birds from their occasional acci
[ read more ]
DNA will rule Mass-Data-Storage
September 13, 2015 | occurs when necessary | Comments (0)
DNA is a complex biomolecule which is embedded in the cells of all living organisms. DNA consists of two intertwined chains of simpler molecules. The arrangement of these units serves as a blueprint or recipe for the structure and internal activity of plants, animals, and people. Life is incredibl
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ultrathin insulation for buildings inspired by the polar bear
September 13, 2015 | temperature | Comments (0)
Mimicking polar bear fur, which is able to insulate the animal's body to temperatures of 98.6° F (37° C) when outside temperatures get as low as -40° F (-40° C) could lead to better building insulation Technical application: ultrathin insulation Bionic application: pol
[ read more ]
Insect´s eye for gigapixel cameras
September 13, 2015 | use colors | Comments (0)
Insects have a wide field of view and are acutely sensitive to motion, as anyone who has tried chasing a housefly knows. Researchers have now created a digital camera that mimics the curved, compound structure of an insect eye. These cameras could be used where wide viewing angles are important and
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Intestine - Fuel Tank
September 13, 2015 | shape | Comments (0)
This is an unusual example of practical designs found in nature. Automobiles have several new options for fuel including batteries, hydrogen gas, and natural gas. Natural gas is especially attractive because it is in good supply in the U.S., and emits only half the carbon dioxide of conventional fos
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Self healing materials
September 13, 2015 | self service | Comments (0)
Many processes in organisms based on the self-organization of biological components. For materials scientists, such substances are a dream: you react autonomously to their environment and can adapt to this different conditions. At the U.S. MIT researchers aim to produce such wonders molecules artifi
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bionic penguin as diving robot
September 13, 2015 | up/down lift | Comments (0)
‘Nature demonstrates how maximum performance can be achieved with minimum energy consumption,’ a Festo spokesman said. “The life-size bionic birds are hydrodynamic and can turn like real penguins because of the flexible glass fibre rods that control their heads. Technical application: su
[ read more ]
bio-inspired spring to reach your tall targets
September 13, 2015 | up/down lift | Comments (0)
It has long been known that many climbing plants produce unusual tendrils for grasping and climbing. When stretched tightly, the spiral-shaped fibers do not unwind to a flat ribbon like a typical spring shape such as a telephone cord. Instead, when stretched, sections of the fiber coil further in t
[ read more ]
Thorny Devil Lizard as Water Collector
September 13, 2015 | rough instead of smooth | Comments (0)
The thorny devil lizard, or thorny dragon, lives in the desert areas of central Australia. This lizard, just 4-6 inches long, looks ferocious with a body completely covered with thorny spines. Two additional large pointed scales on its head resemble curved horns. How does this animal survive in
[ read more ]
Shark´s skin make us faster
September 13, 2015 | surface | Comments (0)
Technical application: swim suit, clean surfaces, glue this foil on airplanes, small riffles will cause turbulance and degrease friction. Bionic application: shark skin, plankton, insects wing Further description: Electron micr
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Leave inspire for more flexible robots, grabbers and operation tools
September 13, 2015 | shape | Comments (0)
Many plant blossoms open and close on a daily schedule and slowly follow the sun across the sky. Other plants display more vigorous behavior. The small leaves fold inward in just seconds and then slowly reopen. The active plant grows worldwide and the Latin term pudica means shy, bashful, or shrin
[ read more ]
bio-inspired spring to reach your tall targets
September 13, 2015 | up/down lift | Comments (0)
It has long been known that many climbing plants produce unusual tendrils for grasping and climbing. When stretched tightly, the spiral-shaped fibers do not unwind to a flat ribbon like a typical spring shape such as a telephone cord. Instead, when stretched, sections of the fiber coil further in t
[ read more ]
Scientists Mimic Fireflies to Make Brighter LEDs
September 13, 2015 | power | Comments (0)
The nighttime twinkling of fireflies has inspired scientists to modify a light-emitting diode (LED) so it is more than one and a half times as efficient as the original. Researchers from Belgium, France, and Canada studied the internal structure of firefly lanterns, the organs on the bioluminescent
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a much more efficient impellent for submarines
September 13, 2015 | speed | Comments (0)
A researcher at Caltech is developing new ways to power submarines and windmills using the lowly jellyfish. Jellyfish have a unique method of swimming through ocean water. Rather than using fins and flippers, they “pump” their body to produce ring-shaped pulses of water called vortex rings. Thes
[ read more ]
beaver teeths for sharp cutting-tools
September 13, 2015 | surface | Comments (0)
German engineers have applied the tooth sharpening ability of rodents to cutting tools. Beavers, rats, rabbits and similar rodents depend on their teeth for survival. They are experts at gnawing, and their teeth are designed with a self-sharpening ability. Unlike our own, rodent teeth are covered
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Human climbing with efficiently scaled gecko-inspired dry adhesives
September 13, 2015 | surface | Comments (0)
We present a mechanical concept which improves upon the gecko's non-uniform load-sharing and results in a nearly even load distribution over multiple patches of gecko-inspired adhesive. Since the discovery of the mechanism of adhesion in geckos, many synthetic dry adhesives have been developed wi
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Use water as a memory storage for computers?
September 13, 2015 | shape | Comments (0)
At first, we strenuously observed crystals of tap water, river water, and lake water. From the tap water we could not get any beautiful crystals. We could not get any beautiful ones from rivers and lakes near big cities, either. Technical application: memory storage, health care applications
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Wild animals (macrosystem) show the same behavior like electrons (microsystem)
September 13, 2015 | flexible cover | Comments (0)
The search for a solution led McRae, now a biologist at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, to his past life as an electrical engineer. He had a hunch that the way animals travel through a landscape might be similar to how electricity moves across circuits. If that were the c
[ read more ]
synthetic cloud snows austria
September 13, 2015 | material quantity | Comments (0)
The austrian scientist Michael Bacher presented at TMI before an artificial snow cloud. It produces 15 cubic meters of fresh snow out of one cubic meter of water. Lautenbacher says that the operation of the cloud is much cheaper and more efficient than conventional snow cannons. The cannons would ne
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the mystical movement of snakes
September 13, 2015 | surface | Comments (0)
Snakes have scales on their belly skin which help them move about. On a flat surface, the body weight is continuously redistributed for maximum friction, and the scales provide grip. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have made detailed studies of the movement of the milk snake. The
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the mystical movement of snakes
September 13, 2015 | surface | Comments (0)
Snakes have scales on their belly skin which help them move about. On a flat surface, the body weight is continuously redistributed for maximum friction, and the scales provide grip. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have made detailed studies of the movement of the milk snake. The
[ read more ]
future glass will withstand the impact of a baseball
September 13, 2015 | stability | Comments (0)
How do sea shells stay in one piece as they are buffeted constantly by strong currents and waves? After all, most shells consist of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) which is a brittle and relatively weak material. Calcium carbonate takes many forms including marble, limestone, and chalk. One secret of s
[ read more ]
Shark´s skin make us faster
September 13, 2015 | surface | Comments (0)
Technical application: swim suit, clean surfaces, glue this foil on airplanes, small riffles will cause turbulance and degrease friction. Bionic application: shark skin, plankton, insects wing Further description: Electron micr
[ read more ]
Fuel-cell powered by rust?
September 13, 2015 | surface | Comments (0)
In the quest for the production of renewable and clean energy, photoelectrochemical cells (PECs) constitute a sort of a Holy Grail. Technical application: power train for cars or other vehicles Bionic application: Further description: Physical effects applied: Video: htt
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Honeycomb for stiff constructions
September 13, 2015 | weight | Comments (0)
Honeycomb structures are natural or man-made structures that have the geometry of a honeycomb to allow the minimization of the amount of used material to reach minimal weight and minimal material cost. Technical application: composit materials, low weight constructions Bionic applicatio
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Alligator Blood for Antibiotics
September 13, 2015 | self service | Comments (0)
Many American alligators live in stagnant, polluted waters. Their diet includes diseased, infected, and injured animals. In addition, fierce battles with prey often lead to wounds. Nevertheless, the alligators tend to remain healthy. Technical application: Bionic application:
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Nature's Water Filter
September 13, 2015 | separating | Comments (0)
The 2003 Nobel Prize was awarded in part to Peter Agre of Johns Hopkins for his discovery, around 1990, of a membrane protein that allows water to pass through cell walls. The discovery of aquaporin solved a longtime problem in biochemistry. Technical application: water filters Bionic a
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Nature's Water Filter
September 13, 2015 | separating | Comments (0)
The 2003 Nobel Prize was awarded in part to Peter Agre of Johns Hopkins for his discovery, around 1990, of a membrane protein that allows water to pass through cell walls. The discovery of aquaporin solved a longtime problem in biochemistry. Technical application: water filters Bionic a
[ read more ]
will our lungs help to reduce carbon dioxid emissions on our planet?
September 13, 2015 | surface | Comments (0)
Our hard-working lungs clearly show intelligent planning. Within our lungs, countless tiny air sacks called alveoli exchange gases from the bloodstream, supplying fresh oxygen and removing carbon dioxide. The component membranes which allow separation and passage of the gases are about one thousand
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flexible eye lens focused by a fluid
September 13, 2015 | volume | Comments (0)
The lens in our eye has a special designed feature called accommodation. That is, the lens changes shape, curvature, or focal length to bring images into focus. When we look at a far distant object the lens becomes thinner. For nearby objects the lens thickens and becomes rounder for clear vision.
[ read more ]
Alligator Blood for Antibiotics
September 13, 2015 | self service | Comments (0)
Many American alligators live in stagnant, polluted waters. Their diet includes diseased, infected, and injured animals. In addition, fierce battles with prey often lead to wounds. Nevertheless, the alligators tend to remain healthy. Technical application: Bionic application:
[ read more ]
use liana or an air-beam to conquer long distances
September 13, 2015 | weight | Comments (0)
Tensairity® is a revolutionary light weight beam element developed by Airlight Ldt. The synergetic combination of an airbeam, cables and struts leads to this extraordinary light weight structure, using very low internal pressure but with the load bearing capacity of conventional steel girders.
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airtight and flexible, the Arampaima skin
September 13, 2015 | tension | Comments (0)
Brazil's Amazon waterways are home to the feared piranha. The razor-like teeth of these aggressive fish make quick work of most prey. However, large Arapaima fish share space with piranha, even in crowded ponds. Arapaima are one of the largest freshwater fish, reaching 300 pounds and a length of 8 f
[ read more ]
Wild animals (macrosystem) show the same behavior like electrons (microsystem)
September 13, 2015 | flexible cover | Comments (0)
The search for a solution led McRae, now a biologist at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, to his past life as an electrical engineer. He had a hunch that the way animals travel through a landscape might be similar to how electricity moves across circuits. If that were the c
[ read more ]
Dolphines help to indicate tsunami
September 13, 2015 | periodical action | Comments (0)
A tsunami is an ocean disturbance resulting from seismic movement of the sea floor. A wave results and moves across the ocean surface at hundreds of miles per hour. In deep water the passing wave may be only a foot or less in height. Approaching the shallow shoreline, however, the wave becomes larg
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Cat's Claw - Safety Thumbtack
September 13, 2015 | self service | Comments (0)
Many of us remember the misfortune of stepping on a thumbtack, sitting on a tack (!), or reaching into a box of thumbtacks and getting pricked. New York design engineer Toshi Fukaya has now found a simple solution to the painful problem. Technical application: spike, tires, grip app
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Zebrafish hearing can inspire to heal hearing disorders at humans
September 13, 2015 | transmitter | Comments (0)
The zebrafish lives in tropical waters and is a popular aquarium resident. This fish has clusters of hair cells spaced along its body. The hair follicles sense pressure changes and vibrations in water. This information helps the zebrafish navigate and avoid predators. The hairs are rooted in skin ce
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Fluid wood instead of plastic for incredible structures
September 13, 2015 | weight | Comments (0)
Arboform acts a lot like any other petroleum-based plastic to a manufacturer. It can be injection-molded as a heated liquid to form any shape. But Arboform is not made of petroleum. Instead, it is made of “Lignin, combined with resins, flax and other natural fibers” as described in this article:
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Spider Web Glass
September 13, 2015 | use colors | Comments (0)
Certain spiders protect their delicately crafted insect nets with a special silk rope that reflects ultraviolet rays. Birds can see the ultraviolet rays and recognize the webs as obstacles they should avoid. If engineers can reproduce the effect, it might save birds from their occasional acci
[ read more ]
Use algae to create meachanical nano gears
September 13, 2015 | tension | Comments (0)
Diatoms are microscopic, single-celled algae. They are typically a few microns in diameter, ten times smaller than the width of a human hair. There are many thousands of distinct diatom species known, in both plant and animal varieties. They exist in countless numbers in the sea and are the base of
[ read more ]
shoals of fish will offer their secret for windfarms
September 13, 2015 | up/down lift | Comments (0)
Wind turbines are the Colossus of the modern landscape, their blades sweeping circles more than a football field in diameter. Critics call them unsightly and say that the rotating blades clobber unsuspecting birds. John Dabiri of Caltech found a solution underwater. He built an experimental wind
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Festo´s world of bionic solutions
September 13, 2015 | swarm intelligence | Comments (0)
Festo has been working intensively on the topic of bionics since the early 90s. In 2006, the Bionic Learning Network was launched – an association of renowned universities, institutes and development companies. Since this time, Festo has been developing and supporting projects and test objects who
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NEW VDI-guideline for bionic structure optimization in the context of a holistic product development process
September 13, 2015 | brainwave | Comments (0)
There are several VDI guidelines about bionic related topics on the VDI-webpage. The Papers are: VDI 6220 Blatt 1 Biomimetics - Conception and strategy - Differences between biomimetic and conventional methods/products VDI 6221 Blatt 1 Biomimetics - Biomimetic surfaces VDI 6222 Bla
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Termite-inspired robots build structures without central command
September 13, 2015 | swarm intelligence | Comments (0)
BUILDER BOT: This building robot uses a forklift-style arm to hoist foam bricks onto its back and three-pronged wheel-legs to trek around a construction site. An onboard computer “brain” helps the bot navigate and make building decisions independently. Technical application: climb steps,
[ read more ]
sea-mouse inspired wire for micro circuits
September 13, 2015 | transmitter | Comments (0)
The sea mouse lives at the bottom of northern seas. Actually a worm, the creature’s name results from its furry appearance. The size of a thumb, the sea mouse is covered with many thousands of crystalline fibers called setae. These strands shimmer with iridescent colors as they reflect sunlight wh
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Cellulose with 7500N/mm² is stronger than Kevlar (R)
September 13, 2015 | weight | Comments (0)
The Forest Products Laboratory of the US Forest Service has opened a US$1.7 million pilot plant for the production of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) from wood by-products materials such as wood chips and sawdust. Technical application: substitute for steel or kevlar Bionic appli
[ read more ]
Termite-inspired robots build structures without central command
September 13, 2015 | swarm intelligence | Comments (0)
BUILDER BOT: This building robot uses a forklift-style arm to hoist foam bricks onto its back and three-pronged wheel-legs to trek around a construction site. An onboard computer “brain” helps the bot navigate and make building decisions independently. Technical application: climb steps,
[ read more ]
flexible eye lens focused by a fluid
September 13, 2015 | volume | Comments (0)
The lens in our eye has a special designed feature called accommodation. That is, the lens changes shape, curvature, or focal length to bring images into focus. When we look at a far distant object the lens becomes thinner. For nearby objects the lens thickens and becomes rounder for clear vision.
[ read more ]
inspired by a tree: bypassing problems will make complex systems more fail-safe
September 13, 2015 | separating | Comments (0)
Look closely at many tree and plant leaves and you will see an intricate network of veins. Besides the channels branching outward from a central stem, you may also notice many smaller veins in random directions, connecting with each other in closed loops. This complex arrangement is unlike the simpl
[ read more ]
future glass will withstand the impact of a baseball
September 13, 2015 | stability | Comments (0)
How do sea shells stay in one piece as they are buffeted constantly by strong currents and waves? After all, most shells consist of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) which is a brittle and relatively weak material. Calcium carbonate takes many forms including marble, limestone, and chalk. One secret of s
[ read more ]
walefin for optimized turbines
September 13, 2015 | up/down lift | Comments (0)
The humpback whale has pronounced bumps or tubercles along the leading edge of its pectoral flippers (above left). A idealized model of the flipper (above upper right), which was tested in a wind tunnel, demonstrated that the tubercles enhanced hydrodynamic performance... Technical application:
[ read more ]
bionic penguin as diving robot
September 13, 2015 | up/down lift | Comments (0)
‘Nature demonstrates how maximum performance can be achieved with minimum energy consumption,’ a Festo spokesman said. “The life-size bionic birds are hydrodynamic and can turn like real penguins because of the flexible glass fibre rods that control their heads. Technical application: su
[ read more ]
Use algae to create meachanical nano gears
September 13, 2015 | tension | Comments (0)
Diatoms are microscopic, single-celled algae. They are typically a few microns in diameter, ten times smaller than the width of a human hair. There are many thousands of distinct diatom species known, in both plant and animal varieties. They exist in countless numbers in the sea and are the base of
[ read more ]
Hook fastener with up to 35 tonns / m²
September 13, 2015 | transmitter | Comments (0)
Hook and loop fasteners have become commonplace features of both industry and households. These fasteners are resistant to chemicals and can withstand a tensile load of up to 35 tonnes per square meter at temperatures as high as 800°C. Technical application: Metaklett is basi
[ read more ]
Leave inspire for more flexible robots, grabbers and operation tools
September 13, 2015 | shape | Comments (0)
Many plant blossoms open and close on a daily schedule and slowly follow the sun across the sky. Other plants display more vigorous behavior. The small leaves fold inward in just seconds and then slowly reopen. The active plant grows worldwide and the Latin term pudica means shy, bashful, or shrin
[ read more ]
The design of trees helps to reduce plastic waste
September 13, 2015 | weight | Comments (0)
Many trees do not have vertical capillary tubes for transporting water upward. Instead, a spiral network of capillaries and fibers extend the entire length of the tree. This helical geometry strengthens the tree, allowing a greater flexibility or bending motion in high wind or during heavy weight lo
[ read more ]
Termite-inspired robots build structures without central command
September 13, 2015 | swarm intelligence | Comments (0)
BUILDER BOT: This building robot uses a forklift-style arm to hoist foam bricks onto its back and three-pronged wheel-legs to trek around a construction site. An onboard computer “brain” helps the bot navigate and make building decisions independently. Technical application: climb steps,
[ read more ]
scorpion "skin" for more abrasion resistance
September 13, 2015 | surface | Comments (0)
A species of North African scorpion does not mind getting sand blasted or whipped by desert winds. While other desert creatures burrow downward for protection, the scorpion scurries in the open and withstands abrasion. Studies reveal that its surface is covered with many hardened, dome-shaped bumps
[ read more ]
Cellulose with 7500N/mm² is stronger than Kevlar (R)
September 13, 2015 | weight | Comments (0)
The Forest Products Laboratory of the US Forest Service has opened a US$1.7 million pilot plant for the production of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) from wood by-products materials such as wood chips and sawdust. Technical application: substitute for steel or kevlar Bionic appli
[ read more ]
Pilot Whale for a Self-cleaning Ship Hull and safe of fuel costs
September 13, 2015 | wet instead of dry | Comments (0)
Long-finned pilot whales swim in cool regions of the oceans. They grow to 12-16 feet in length and weigh several tons. The whales are characterized by an enlarged forehead and a swimming behavior similar to dolphins. The creatures are found to have highly-specialized apparatus for maintaining smoot
[ read more ]
a much more efficient impellent for submarines
September 13, 2015 | speed | Comments (0)
A researcher at Caltech is developing new ways to power submarines and windmills using the lowly jellyfish. Jellyfish have a unique method of swimming through ocean water. Rather than using fins and flippers, they “pump” their body to produce ring-shaped pulses of water called vortex rings. Thes
[ read more ]
sorption
September 13, 2015 | sorption | Comments (0)
Sorption is a physical and chemical process by which one substance becomes attached to another. The picture shows Gas–liquid absorption (a) and liquid–solid adsorption (b) mechanism. Blue spheres are solute molecules. Specific cases of sorption are treated in the following articles: -
[ read more ]
airtight and flexible, the Arampaima skin
September 13, 2015 | tension | Comments (0)
Brazil's Amazon waterways are home to the feared piranha. The razor-like teeth of these aggressive fish make quick work of most prey. However, large Arapaima fish share space with piranha, even in crowded ponds. Arapaima are one of the largest freshwater fish, reaching 300 pounds and a length of 8 f
[ read more ]
The design of trees helps to reduce plastic waste
September 13, 2015 | weight | Comments (0)
Many trees do not have vertical capillary tubes for transporting water upward. Instead, a spiral network of capillaries and fibers extend the entire length of the tree. This helical geometry strengthens the tree, allowing a greater flexibility or bending motion in high wind or during heavy weight lo
[ read more ]
Squid - Arresting device
September 13, 2015 | self service | Comments (0)
Law enforcement faces the challenge of stopping fleeing vehicles. Non-violent methods include roadblocks and spike strips laid across the pavement. However, neither is entirely successful because drivers sometimes avoid the barriers. The U.S. Department of Home Security is studying new technologi
[ read more ]
Razor Clam - Anchor
September 13, 2015 | wet instead of dry | Comments (0)
The razor clam has a long narrow shell, somewhat resembling an old-fashioned straight razor. The shells also have a sharp edge. The clam is hunted for food in exposed mudflats along the ocean shoreline. Its defense against people and predators is an impressive ability to burrow underground rapidly
[ read more ]
Pilot Whale for a Self-cleaning Ship Hull and safe of fuel costs
September 13, 2015 | wet instead of dry | Comments (0)
Long-finned pilot whales swim in cool regions of the oceans. They grow to 12-16 feet in length and weigh several tons. The whales are characterized by an enlarged forehead and a swimming behavior similar to dolphins. The creatures are found to have highly-specialized apparatus for maintaining smoot
[ read more ]
Dog inspired drying machines
September 13, 2015 | weight | Comments (0)
Perhaps you have stood near a wet dog as it dries by shaking its fur. Watch out! An impressive amount of water is thrown off in all directions. The shaking technique for furry creatures including mice, dogs, and bears is studied by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. They
[ read more ]
Leaves learn us how to produce electricity and harvest water
September 13, 2015 | surface | Comments (0)
Transpiration is the evaporation of water from the leaves of plants and trees. The undersides of leaves are dotted with hundreds of tiny openings called stoma. Carbon dioxide enters the leaf through these pores, and water escapes. A mature tree may evaporate hundreds of gallons of water on a warm,
[ read more ]
Ice-free roads caused by sugar?
September 13, 2015 | pre drawing effect | Comments (0)
Sugar beets provide 30 percent of the world’s sugar. At refineries, the sugar is extracted and a liquid residue remains. In the upper Midwest, it was noticed that this residue, placed in holding ponds, did not freeze under wintry conditions. Chemical studies reveal a natural antifreeze chemical i
[ read more ]
lizard tail for stabilizers
September 13, 2015 | weight | Comments (0)
Lizards are some of the most versatile animals on the planet. Geckoes for example can climb straight up walls, even across glass ceilings upside down. Their feet have been studied to learn how to make better adhesives. Now, lizards are the subject of a new investigation which includes the dinosaurs.
[ read more ]
Gecko feet for car tires
September 13, 2015 | surface | Comments (0)
Using design principles inspired by the nanoscopic hairs on the gecko, UC Berkeley researchers and colleagues have created a novel microfiber array which has very high friction but is not ``sticky''. Technical application: car tires, drive on solar panels Bionic
[ read more ]
Thorny Devil Lizard as Water Collector
September 13, 2015 | rough instead of smooth | Comments (0)
The thorny devil lizard, or thorny dragon, lives in the desert areas of central Australia. This lizard, just 4-6 inches long, looks ferocious with a body completely covered with thorny spines. Two additional large pointed scales on its head resemble curved horns. How does this animal survive in
[ read more ]
Seashells are harder than ceramics and can be printed by your desktop 3D printer?
September 13, 2015 | tension | Comments (0)
For example, an abalone shell is stronger than high-tech ceramics because of its internal structure. Diatom shells are made of silica (glass), but they are extremely strong because of their stress-distributing pattern of holes. Like nature, 3-D printers can excel at building complex structures fr
[ read more ]
Dolphines help to indicate tsunami
September 13, 2015 | periodical action | Comments (0)
A tsunami is an ocean disturbance resulting from seismic movement of the sea floor. A wave results and moves across the ocean surface at hundreds of miles per hour. In deep water the passing wave may be only a foot or less in height. Approaching the shallow shoreline, however, the wave becomes larg
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shoals of fish will offer their secret for windfarms
September 13, 2015 | up/down lift | Comments (0)
Wind turbines are the Colossus of the modern landscape, their blades sweeping circles more than a football field in diameter. Critics call them unsightly and say that the rotating blades clobber unsuspecting birds. John Dabiri of Caltech found a solution underwater. He built an experimental wind
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bio-inspired spring to reach your tall targets
September 13, 2015 | up/down lift | Comments (0)
It has long been known that many climbing plants produce unusual tendrils for grasping and climbing. When stretched tightly, the spiral-shaped fibers do not unwind to a flat ribbon like a typical spring shape such as a telephone cord. Instead, when stretched, sections of the fiber coil further in t
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Zebrafish - Spine Repair
September 13, 2015 | self service | Comments (0)
Injuries to the spine are some of the most serious challenges in medicine. We are all familiar with the tragedy of paralysis which may result from spinal trauma. In mammals, including people, a protective mechanism results in an unfavorable side effect to spinal trauma. Following an injury, cell
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Use algae to create meachanical nano gears
September 13, 2015 | tension | Comments (0)
Diatoms are microscopic, single-celled algae. They are typically a few microns in diameter, ten times smaller than the width of a human hair. There are many thousands of distinct diatom species known, in both plant and animal varieties. They exist in countless numbers in the sea and are the base of
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Self healing materials
September 13, 2015 | self service | Comments (0)
Many processes in organisms based on the self-organization of biological components. For materials scientists, such substances are a dream: you react autonomously to their environment and can adapt to this different conditions. At the U.S. MIT researchers aim to produce such wonders molecules artifi
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ultrathin insulation for buildings inspired by the polar bear
September 13, 2015 | temperature | Comments (0)
Mimicking polar bear fur, which is able to insulate the animal's body to temperatures of 98.6° F (37° C) when outside temperatures get as low as -40° F (-40° C) could lead to better building insulation Technical application: ultrathin insulation Bionic application: pol
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shoals of fish will offer their secret for windfarms
September 13, 2015 | up/down lift | Comments (0)
Wind turbines are the Colossus of the modern landscape, their blades sweeping circles more than a football field in diameter. Critics call them unsightly and say that the rotating blades clobber unsuspecting birds. John Dabiri of Caltech found a solution underwater. He built an experimental wind
[ read more ]
tree frog climb wet and dirty surfaces as well as upside down surfaces without falling
September 13, 2015 | surface | Comments (0)
Here is an activity to try with a length of adhesive tape. Press the tape against a dusty surface several times. As expected, the tape quickly loses its holding strength as dust particles collect and coat the sticky side. In contrast, consider tree frogs which thrive in dusty, wet, or muddy surround
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porcupines inspire for medical applications and wound healing
September 13, 2015 | shape | Comments (0)
North American porcupines are well known for their unusual defense. An adult is coated with perhaps 30,000 needle-like hairs. An unfortunate dog that gets too close may find its nose resembling a pin cushion. Furthermore, the needles are not easy to remove. They are coated with microscopic, flexibl
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lizard tail for stabilizers
September 13, 2015 | weight | Comments (0)
Lizards are some of the most versatile animals on the planet. Geckoes for example can climb straight up walls, even across glass ceilings upside down. Their feet have been studied to learn how to make better adhesives. Now, lizards are the subject of a new investigation which includes the dinosaurs.
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shoals of fish will offer their secret for windfarms
September 13, 2015 | up/down lift | Comments (0)
Wind turbines are the Colossus of the modern landscape, their blades sweeping circles more than a football field in diameter. Critics call them unsightly and say that the rotating blades clobber unsuspecting birds. John Dabiri of Caltech found a solution underwater. He built an experimental wind
[ read more ]
