The Definition Of Biomimicry

The Definition Of Biomimicry Product design inspired by nature simply means that designers look to the nature for answer when they were in process of designing it. The action of copying from nature is called biomimicry. Biomimicry is not an entirely new idea to humans. The hook and loop fasterner or known as Velcro was invented in 1948 based on the bur plants. Biomimicry is important in product design because nature has the best solution whenever we came to a design problem. For example, for the wind resistance problem faced by Japanese bullet train, the front nose was remodelled to look like a kingfishers beak. Biomimicry design spiral is a kind of tool that takes us through the process of identify, translate, observe, abstract, apply and evaluate before a design is being developed. There are many inventions in this world that were inspired by the nature. Flying squirrel wingsuit, formula one car, sharkskin swimsuit and drag-reduced propeller are the best examples. The nature is and will always be our mentor in product design. Therfore, it is our responsibility to preserve and protect the nature we have today. Definition of biomimicry Biomimicry is a discipline that studies our natures ideas, models and processes to take inspirations from to solve the design problems faced by humans. In the words of biomimicry, bios means life while mimesis means to mimic. Therefore, biomimicry simply means to imitate from nature. Biomimicry is not a new idea. Humans have always been turning to the nature to look for any answer to solve both complex and simple problems. Humans take the nature as their mentor and model. This is because the animals and plants found on the Earth nowadays have survived for ages. They have gone through several stages of evolution and changes in order to survive in this planet. Therefore, their body structure and functionality are worth copying for. For example, without birds the Wright brothers will not be inspired to build an airplane that turns out to be one of the greatest invention of all time. In addition, Eiji Nakatsu, a railway engineer remodelled the front nose design of the bullet train in Jap an which will reduce air resistance and uses 15% less electricity. He took the idea from the shape of the beak of kingfishers. The significance of biomimicry in product design There are thousands of products being designed in every single day. What really matter is, do the products have the ability to cope with the environment and perform well. Humans are not brilliant in every way, sometimes we do need some help from the nature. Some of the flora and fauna had been on Earth long before the existence of human race. They are full of experience in coping with the nature in order to survive. Therefore, designers always mimic the design of some animals and plants. The product designs nowadays have become more and more sophisticated. Designers are hoping to decrease any possibility of disaster and waste of energy. This is where biomimicry will come in handy. The existence of biomimicry provides a rough idea to the designers of what the nature would probably do to solve problems faced. Therefore, the designers can make amendments to their designs to avoid any unwanted errors. Hence, it cannot be denied that biomimicry is playing an important role in product desi gn. Biomimicry design spiral http://juliangaviriasanchez.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/biomimicry-design-spiral.jpg Biomimicry design spiral is a tool that scientists created that uses our nature as our mentor and role model to solve any complex and simple problems faced while in the creation of any products. Identify: Instead of asking ourselves what we want to design, we need to identify what we want our designs to do for us. If not, we probably ended up designing something which is only an updated version of current existing products. Translate: Take the natures perspective into consideration. We need to know how nature carries out a certain function to tackle problem it faced. Observe: Consults biologist or natural experts. Take their advices into consideration before we begin to develop something new. Abstract: Find out the relationship between the nature and the product. We need to know whether the product can adapt to the environment where it meant to be once developed. Apply: Apply all the knowledge and studies that had been made into the development of product. Designs a product based on the research. Evaluate: Find out how does the design performs in nature. Can the design adapt to the environment? Biomimicry applications in products design Animals Falcon birds Peregrine falcons are one of the species of falcons and a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. The Peregrine falcon is renowned for its speed, reaching over 322km/h during its characteristic hunting stoop (high speed dive), making it the fastest member of the animal kingdom. According to a National Geographic program, the highest measured speed of a Peregrine Falcon is even up to 389 km/h. Hence, engineers have studied the body shape of the birds and implement it into the design of Formula 1 racing cars. A Formula 1 car is a single-seat, open cockpit, open-wheel racing car with substantial front and rear wings, and an engine positioned behind the driver. Aerodynamics of the car play a vital role in determining the speed, safety and drag produced. Therefore, the aerodynamic designer has two primary concerns which is the creation of downforce to push the car onto the track, improve cornering forces and minimising the drag that slow the car down. So, the front nose of a For mula 1 racing car is inspired by the shape of the head of Peregrine falcon. The head of the birds is in streamlined shape which will reduce the drag produced when flying at high speed. Therefore, designers design the front nose of the racing cars to mimic the head of the birds which used to channel air flow to the back of the car. Hence, drag is reduced and the downforce is increased. Racing cars can be driven to a higher speed. Flying squirrel Flying squirrels are one of the 44 species of squirrels in the family of Sciuridae. Flying squirrels do not have wings and are not capable of powered flight like birds or bats. The loose folds of skin between the front and hind legs of these squirrels enable them to fly from trees to trees but what they actually do is glide through the air on the stretched surface of this loose skin. The direction and speed of the animal in midair is varied by changing the positions of its two arms and legs, largely controlled by small cartilaginous wrist bones. Therefore, man has used the body structure of the flying squirrel and created the flying squirrel suit. Modern wingsuit are equipped with fabric attached between the legs and under the arms which will add surface area to the human body to enable a significant increase in lift. A wingsuit flight normally ends with a parachute opening. So a wingsuit can safely be flown from any point that provides sufficient altitude for flight and parachute de ployment. Sharks Sharks, also known as the natures great predator are a group of carnivorous ocean going fish with 368 different species in a total of 30 families. Some species of shark, such as the great white, are infamous among humans because they have been involved in attacks resulting in severe injury and sometimes death. Most sharks have streamlined bodies designed for moving efficiently through the water. Many species have a projecting dorsal fin, and all have split caudal or rear fins. The shark can move very rapidly in search of prey. The shortfin mako shark, the fastest shark and one of the fastest fish, can burst at speeds up to 50 km/h. The reasons why sharks can swim fast in water are closely related to its skin. Seen under an electron microscope, sharkskin is made up of countless overlapping scales called dermal denticles. The denticles have grooves running down their length in alignment with water flow. These grooves disrupt the formation of eddies, or turbulent swirls of slower water and make the water to pass by faster. Therefore, the scientists replicate the dermal denticles and apply it on the racing swimsuit. Speedos Fastskin line of high-tech, high-performance swimsuits were inspired by the shark skins sandpaper-like texture is thought to reduce drag, hence its usefulness in swimming gear. Plants Bur A bur is a seed or dry fruit in which the seeds bear hooks or teeth which attach themselves to the fur of passing animals or the clothing of people. The hooks or teeth are irritants and quite hard to remove from clothing, such as wool or cotton. The bur of burdock was the inspiration for hook and loop fastener (Velcro). Velcro was invented in 1948 by the Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral. Hook-and-loop fasteners consist of two components which are two lineal fabric strips which are attached to the opposing surfaces to be fastened. The first component features tiny hooks while the second features even smaller and hair-like loops. When the two components are pressed together, the hooks catch in the loops and the two pieces fasten or bind temporarily. Velcro strips make a distinctive ripping sound when they are being separated. Because it is extremely easy to use, low chances of being spoilt and safe, the hook-and-loop fasteners have been used for just about every conceivable application where a temporary bond is required. It is especially popular as a shoe fastener for children who have not yet learned to tie shoelaces and for those who choose Velcro over laces. Kelp Kelps are large seaweeds belong to the brown algae in the order Laminariales. Kelp grows in underwater forests known as the kelp forests in shallow oceans. There are several Pacific species of kelp which is a very important ingredient in Chinese, Japanese and Korean cuisines. Because of its high concentration of iodine, brown kelp has been used to treat the enlargement of the thyroid gland caused by a lack of iodine, known as goitre. Kelps have the very unique spiral shape which moves with the current rather than fighting against it. Therefore, they will not get swept away easily by rough current. This phenomenon inspired the design of drag-reduced propeller. A propeller is a type of fan that transmits power by converting rotational motion into thrust and normal seen installed at the back of vessel or boat. Propeller designed in spiral shape will has lesser drag when it spins in water. Hence, less energy is required to accelerate the water to the back of blade which in turns provides more forward thrust to the ship. Tumbleweed Tumbleweed is the above-ground part of any plants that once mature and dry or wilt. It will disengage from the root and tumble away in the wind. The tumbleweed is a norm in steppe and desert climates. The tumbleweed is a diaspore, which aids in the dispersal of seeds or spores. The tumbleweed is very light and round in shape. Therefore, it moves around and tumbles along to disperse seeds when the wind blows. Eventually, the tumbleweed comes to rest in a wet location, it opens as it absorbs water and then it dies. The characteristics of tumbleweed for being light and round in shape have inspired the NASA engineers to design a rover of the same concept. The rover is designed for any exploring missions in planet Mars. The rough terrain of Mars can be tackled using a wind-driven planetary rover. A wind-driven planetary rover design maximises drag and therefore it will be easy to manoeuvre around the planet. Conclusion Every single thing created by God in this world existed for a reason. It just that some of things are still yet to be discovered by humans. As mentioned earlier, most of the designs in this world are inspired by the nature. Humans copy the design of some animals and plants to achieve success in their design. The nature is our teacher, our mentor and our role model. We always look to nature for answer whenever we faced obstacles. Hence, through biomimicry, the relationships between humans and nature grow closer than ever before. The continued existence of the nature depends on humans and vice versa. Therefore, we must appreciate and preserve what we have right now for the sake of our latter generations.

Teaching of Morals in Public Schools :: Free Essays Online

From the age of five until the time they graduate in their eighteenth year the children of America are compelled to attend school. Everyone agrees that we need compulsory education, but no one really agrees why our children need it. Some, like Jonathan Kozol, feel that the purpose of education is to turn a child into a good person through a series of moral and ethical lessons. The other school of thought is that school is a place for a general education of facts and figures and that morals have no business in the classroom. This is a question of vital importance because, with the vast majority of American youths in public school, it could truly change the face of America. The first twenty years of a human being's life have more to do with making up who they are than genetics and the other fifty-odd years of their life combined. Because of this there is a definite need for children and young adults to have a forum to learn about morals and ethics. In this respect Jonathan Kozol's ideas from The Night is Dark and I am Far from Home are true, but, is the right place for a child to learn ethics a public school of the United States? An individual's moral beliefs are one of the most personal and complex pieces of his/her psyche. One must deal with the question of whether or not they want this nation's youths to all be taught the same morals. If teachers were able to impose their own personal beliefs while teaching history and English, imagine what they could do to impressionable minds while teaching ethics. There is absolutely no way to teach morals objectively. If a teacher were a Christian fundamentalist, could she ( I, like Kozol, use "she" because a majority of elementary teachers are female) help a student make an informed, unbiased decision about abortion? If that teacher had to teach a child to make up his or her own mind, or if that teacher had to tell the student to be pro-choice (the law of the nation) she would be teaching something she didn't believe. The abortion example brings up the question, "Whose morals are we going to teach our youth?" If you allow a class in ethics, whose do you teach? The teacher's, the schoolboard's, or the nation's? Whose ever morals you do teach them would probably be drastically different from what they would come up themselves or what their parents would teach them. Teaching of Morals in Public Schools :: Free Essays Online From the age of five until the time they graduate in their eighteenth year the children of America are compelled to attend school. Everyone agrees that we need compulsory education, but no one really agrees why our children need it. Some, like Jonathan Kozol, feel that the purpose of education is to turn a child into a good person through a series of moral and ethical lessons. The other school of thought is that school is a place for a general education of facts and figures and that morals have no business in the classroom. This is a question of vital importance because, with the vast majority of American youths in public school, it could truly change the face of America. The first twenty years of a human being's life have more to do with making up who they are than genetics and the other fifty-odd years of their life combined. Because of this there is a definite need for children and young adults to have a forum to learn about morals and ethics. In this respect Jonathan Kozol's ideas from The Night is Dark and I am Far from Home are true, but, is the right place for a child to learn ethics a public school of the United States? An individual's moral beliefs are one of the most personal and complex pieces of his/her psyche. One must deal with the question of whether or not they want this nation's youths to all be taught the same morals. If teachers were able to impose their own personal beliefs while teaching history and English, imagine what they could do to impressionable minds while teaching ethics. There is absolutely no way to teach morals objectively. If a teacher were a Christian fundamentalist, could she ( I, like Kozol, use "she" because a majority of elementary teachers are female) help a student make an informed, unbiased decision about abortion? If that teacher had to teach a child to make up his or her own mind, or if that teacher had to tell the student to be pro-choice (the law of the nation) she would be teaching something she didn't believe. The abortion example brings up the question, "Whose morals are we going to teach our youth?" If you allow a class in ethics, whose do you teach? The teacher's, the schoolboard's, or the nation's? Whose ever morals you do teach them would probably be drastically different from what they would come up themselves or what their parents would teach them.

Davis V the Board of County Commissioners of Doña Ana County Case Essay

The plaintiff, Davis is suing Dona Ana County. The plaintiff was a patient at Mesilla Valley Hospital (MVH) in their inpatient mental facility, while she was in their care one of the mental health technicians, Joseph Herrera sexually assaulted her. She is suing the County of Dona Ana, because Herrera used to be a detention sergeant for the county, while employed there he was found to have been sexually harassing and abusing female inmates. His superiors Steele and Mochen were aware of his misconducts and were planning on suspending him, however prior to the suspension Herrera resigned. Upon his resignation Herrera asked his superiors for a letter of recommendation, he was given a letter of recommendation stating that he was an exemplary employee, and one that they would hire again. The legal issue in this case is to determine whether or not the county’s letter of recommendation cause third-party harm to the plaintiff, Davis? Did the positive feedback in the letter cause MVH to hire someone who was potentially unsafe to their patients? (Walsh, 2009). Why does the court conclude that Dona Ana County could be held liable for negligent referral (misrepresentation)? In this case the court concluded that Dona Ana County could be held liable for a negligent referral on the basis that each citizen has a basic responsibility to not bring harm to one another, and to make every effort to stop harm from happening to someone. In this case the County did not take the proper steps to ensure public safety. Without overly speculating on all the various scenarios that might or might not have played out had the County provided truthful information, at the end of the day the County not only omitted truth; which is misleading within itself, but they also falsified the information that was provided to Herrera’s future employers taking away their ability to make fully educated decisions about his employment. In this particular case is very similar, to California Supreme Court case regarding Randi W. here an employee was given a glowing letter of recommendation from his former employer at a school even though he was known to have a record of sexual misconduct, was then hired on at another school as vice-principle, he sexually abused a 13 year old. In both these cases the previous employers mislead future employers with the omissions of very important information as well as lying about their actual employment behavior. In both cases innocent third-parties were harmed from this. The court recognized that this referral was negligent, because they failed to stop harm from happening to someone. Krasnow, 2013). Should it have mattered that the former employer’s investigation was not able to confirm all of the allegations against Herrera? Explain your answer. In this case Herrera’s employers were not able to conduct an investigation to the fullest due to the fact that when he was informed that a full investigation was going to be conducted and that he would be suspended, Herrera decided to first resign. Though a full investigation was not conducted the court’s decision to conclude that the County is liable for negligence is still valid. The County had the option of remaining silent, had they remained silent MVH would have conduct their own background investigation more thoroughly, but because the County gave such praise filled recommendation MVH lacked their background check. The County became negligent when they falsified information, regardless of whether Herrera was actually found to have had any sexual misconduct, the fact that there were several allegations and complaints against him would make it so that he did not warrant any sort of letter of recommendation. Due to the investigation not being fully executed it would make more sense that the County refrain from having any sort of opinion on Herrera’s performance rather than fabricating information. (Walsh, 2009). What practical implications does this decision hold? Are you convinced by the court’s claim that this ruling should not make employers more reluctant to provide references? Due to the County being sued for providing referrals, they might be reluctant along with other employers, to provide any sort of referral for future employment, because they may fear that they will be sued regardless of what they do. However, the court claims that employers should not be worried about providing references, because as long as the information that is being provided is true than they are not at fault. Of course it does seem safer to just not provide a referral at all, but you do not want to punish those who have worked very hard at maintaining a good work history and reputation. In this situation the court would not have found fault had the County just not provided a recommendation at all, if they would have just denied Herrera’s request for a letter of recommendation, they would not have been at fault for third-party harm to Davis. However, the fact that the County provided misleading information while withholding information that might have told of harmful behaviors, MVH might not have hired Herrera, and they would have had a chance to better protect their patient, but the County took that ability away from them. (Walsh, 2009).

Religion And The Civil Rights Movement - 954 Words

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