Lab+8

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 * Review Janine Benyus' TED Talk 12 Sustainable Design Ideas from Nature at

Janine Benyus discusses learning about the natural world vs. learning from the natural world. She explains that we need to switch their lenses to not just analyzing the genius of the environment, but taking the genius of the natural world and learning something from it. She raises three major questions on how to go about this: How does life make things? How does life make the most of things? How does life make things disappear into systems? Learning and applying these answers will give us humans the aid we need.


 * 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)**

As one of the fastest trains in the world, it goes up to about 200mph. It is mimicked from one of the quietest birds, owls. Its nose cone is modeled after the kingfisher's beak. This sleek feature allows for the train to pass from a tunnel into open air while reducing noise pollution.
 * Japans Shinkansen bullet train**

This is a high tech cane created for the visually impaired. It adopts the way bats navigate in the dark. the can sends out sound waves while held infront of the person. it sneses upcoming objects throught its handels and warns the operator that something is close (street sign or other people).
 * Sonar-Enabled Cane**

This is a furniture line that mimics the structure of bones, how bone grow. Although it constitutes of hollow and thin rods, it is a very strong architectural support. This relives the saying that less is more.
 * Bone Furniture**

This is a techniques used in piplines. it mimics the palets in the bloodsteam and how they seal cuts and wounds. specially designed platelets are delivered into the pipes which seal cracks and leaks.
 * Self-Healing Pipelines**


 * 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)**

Janine Benyus explains that the simple, elegant mechanics developed by nature often makes sense in a human context, too by giving examples of how biomimicry has help positively improved various human processes and products.

Janine gives examples of how the "Power shape" of a whale can and is used to improve turns and flight of airplanes, therefore improving its efficiency.

She gives another examples of how ford's volvo div developed an anti collision syste, based on the way locusts swarm without crashing into one another (Vella). she furthr explains that by the company studying the nature of the locusts, it was able to begin devising a system, that senses an impending crash and simultaneously send triggers to alarm the driver (Accident Avoidance system).

Bibliography Benyus, Janine. "Janine Benyus shares nature's Designs." Ted. Apr. 2007. 1 March. 2010.  Vella, Matt. "Design Tips From Mother Nature." Business Week. n.p. 1 March. 2010.  Vella, Matt. "Using Nature as a Design Guide." Business Week. 28 FEB. 2008. 1 March. 2010. 