Lab+-+Week+8

Look over examples of her biomimetic principles applied to products in the slideshow located at [] and write a short, one paragraph synopsis for each of your four favourite product designs. (4 paragraphs)

//Low-Energy Carbon Sequestration// Many manufacturing industries come in contact with carbon dioxide emissions. Those in other industries may also have relation to the release of harmful CO2. I find the carbon sequestration interesting because this can be applied in many industries. In relation to biomimicry, “Monmouth Junction (N.J.)-based Carbozyme developed an industrial flue scrubber that mimics the enzymes of mollusks to sequester CO2 from waste gases, converting it to nontoxic limestone powder” (Vella).Carbon sequestration aims to remove harmful carbon emissions, creating a more sustainable industry.

// Bone Furniture // Companies always aim to innovate their products to be lighter, and stronger than their existing products. Bone furniture replicates bone structures with hollow material, providing good support. For example, “General Motors developed a series of car parts that is lighter than conventionally made components but just as strong” (Vella). This generally allows the car to be lighter, but also increasingly fuel efficient because of the less weight it has to carry from original materials used as car parts.

//High-Speed Train// The kingfisher’s beak allows this type of bird to dive into water with very little resistance and noise in order for it to hunt for its prey. By recreating, “…small serrations similar to those on owl feathers, they were able to reduce the noise generated by the train's pantograph—the component that connects to overhead electrical wires” (Vella), reducing noise pollution. Very similar to Japan's 500 Series Shinkansen bullet train, with a top speed of 200 mph, modeled after nature’s creature.

//Self-Healing Pipelines// much like the bloodstreams in our bodies, Brinker Technology has created a new system implemented in pipelines that transfers oil. It is designed so that, “The flow inside a pipeline delivers specially designed "platelets" to cracks and leaks” (Vella). These platelets are processed through the pipe walls, which automatically seals leakage. Radioisotope is a mixture within the chemical and allows engineers to track down the potential leak.

Source: Vella, M. (n.d.). //Nature.// Retrieved March 3, 2010, from Biomimicry: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/02/0209_green_biomimic/index_01.htm

//Write three paragraphs defining how, according to Janine Benyus, "the simple, elegant mechanics developed by nature often make sense in a human context, too". (3 paragraphs//)

“ Learning about the natural world is one thing, learning from the natural world -- that's the switch. ” – Janine Benyus, 2005

Biomimicry can be broken down into two words, ‘bio’ and ‘mimic’. “The simple, elegant mechanics developed by nature often make sense in a human context”, means that reflecting upon nature’s creations, the same creation can be applied into human made designs. Using modern day technology, products are created through the duplicating the natural world’s product composition.

In her presentation, Benyus uses the example of a company she advised for. The problem they had was the issue of mineralization in their piping. During the scroll on the beach, Benyus picks up a seashell and begins to relate the company’s problem with a solution to biomimicry. Benyus explains that a seashell is made of the same materials which crystallize in their piping. She begins to question why the seashell sizes are not infinite sized; it’s because they release the protein that starts the crystallization process. That was their solution, to stop protein in an environmentally friendly way.

Designs and innovations need to be increasingly sustainable as the world is running out of resources to supply humans with. Benyus takes many examples of the natural world, including the transformation of CO2 emissions to create biodegradable plastics, and a whale’s shape with tubercles to increase efficiency. By evolution, nature itself has found the most efficient and effective way to care for its creatures. It’s time that humans take nature as an example and create and innovate new technology like the natural world.

Source: Benyus, J. (2005, February). //Ted Conferences//. Retrieved March 3, 2010, from Janine Benyus Shares Nature's Designs: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/janine_benyus_shares_nature_s_designs.html