The Art of Biomimicry

Biomimicry is an art. The art of learning the intricacies and ways of nature and using them in the design of today's new technologies and products. Nature is overflowing with examples of complexity, efficiency, and sometimes outright mind-boggling design. Today architects, engineers, and designers can all draw on the inspiration provided by nature to design more efficient buildings, more adaptive transportation, and more innovative products.

The Biomimicry Institute is a non-profit organization that is at the forefront of this design movement. They have really great tools that a designer in any industry can use to learn more from nature and perhaps find ingenious solutions to problems that they face. Their portal, Ask Nature, is a free on-line database that is searchable by design challenge. It is also a great tool for students and children to learn more about the intricate designs found in nature.

Biomimicry has helped design a myriad of products and objects including cars, boats, airplanes, paints and coatings, high performance fabrics, solar panels, roofing material, and buildings.

Slow Water Current for Renewable Energy?

New technology developed by a University of Michigan engineer can turn vibrations in water into clean, renewable energy. This machine is named VIVACE ( Vortex Induced Vibrations for Aquatic Clean Energy). It is the first known device that is capable of drawing energy from most water currents around the world, according to a statement from the University of Michigan. “There won’t be one solution for the world’s energy needs,” VIVACE developer Michael Bernitsas, a professor at the U-M department of naval architecture and marine engineering, said in the statement. “But if we could harness 0.1 percent of the energy in the ocean, we could support the energy needs of 15 billion people.”

Biomimicry played a role in the design of this system, Bernitsas and his team have tried to duplicate the roughness of fish scales on their cylinders because a rough cylinder surface could increase the power output by 40 to 70 percent compared to a smooth surface. Bernitsas is also impressed with fish tails. His team has begun to experiment with passive tails that could keep vortexes from interfering with each other.

Currently Bernitsas’ group is working with the U.S. Navy to install two VIVACE systems in the next year: one in the Detroit River and another in an ocean environment somewhere.

Although the production of VIVACE systems in commercial plants is still a future dream, the cost of electricity from a mature VIVACE installation would be roughly 5.5 cents per kilowatt-hour, which is similar to the current price of wind generation. Roger Bedard, EPRI’s ocean energy leader is of the opinion that with the passage of time, slower tidal passages will become economical.

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