Nature's design archetypes
Designers, developers and architects frequently turn to nature for inspiration. And often, the construction principles of nature turn up in their final products. The 2013 Hanover Trade Fair was brimming with examples.
Technical wonders
This ultralight BionicOpter made by Festo can fly in any direction, imitating the flight of a dragon fly. At the Hanover Trade Fair there were many other examples of designers copying a page from nature's blueprint.
Wood growth blueprint
This tree trunk was damaged at some point, but the cells in the wood responded by growing around the injury. And they did so in such a way that the stability of the trunk remained intact. Trees are a marvel of bionic regeneration.
Fine branches as support
This chair almost looks like a tree. To ensure an equal distribution of weight, a design student at the University of Magdeburg-Stendal, in cooperation with Sachs Engineering, calculated the physical forces at play based on tree growth.
Automobile, in theory and in practice
On the left is a conventional auto component. On the right is the same one, but finely reticulated, like a tree. It serves as an example to researchers at the Karlsruhe Technology Institute what is theoretically possible with bionics. At far right are two mass-produced bionic components.
Lightweight versus heavy metal
In the past, vise grips were always made of solid steel to withstand the physical forces they generated. But the lightweight tool shown in this picture holds up under the same pressure. For carpenters and pipefitters, for example, that means a lot less weight on the workbench, or in their tool kits.
Not only light, but beautiful
This wheelbarrow was also designed with tree growth or bones in mind. The forces exerted on it are optimally distributed across the framework. And, unlike a lot of other tools, it would be an eye-catching gem in any garden.
Tiny models for big ideas
This web structure comes from the cell skeleton of a tiny diatom, one of the most common types of phytoplankton. Intriguing is that we not only see a single honeycomb structure, but rather several overlapping one another. For their size, diatoms have an enormous amount of stability.
Model for lightweight supports
Scientists at the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research use diatoms as blueprints. Overlapping six-sided honeycombs are extremely light and stable - ideal for building designs or vehicle construction.
Dwarfs and giants
The model of a tiny diatom algae stands in direct comparison to an offshore wind turbine. On the high seas, the foundation has to withstand tremendous forces. This foundation was built of conventional tubing based on the design of a diatom skeleton.
As silent as an owl
These fans and ventilators use the principle of noise-blocking loop rotor blades. They have an outer ring that generates tiny turbulences. These blades prevent a loud rushing of air, similar to the way the wingtips of owls or eagles work.
Sophisticated fish fins
The Fin Ray Effect is a process that optimizes swimming movements in fish. If pressure is exerted in one direction on a fin, the tip of the fin moves in the other direction, reducing drag. This allows fish to swim faster while conserving energy. The same concept can be applied to manmade products.
Dusting with fish power
This feather duster makes use of the fin-ray effect. It can even dust around corners - very practical for those hard-to-reach places. Using this effect, engineers also have built door linings that seal themselves for an air or water-tight enclosure.
Not science fiction
This jellyfish, from the Festo company, swam through a tank at the Hanover Fair and looked very futuristic. But the field of bionics, which copies the ingenuity of nature, is already a part of everyday life.