DailyDirt: Inspired By Nature

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

Why re-invent the wheel when you can copy from millions of years of evolution? Okay, so there aren't that many animals that use the wheel for locomotion, but there are plenty of other tricks that biology has figured out. By studying how insects fly, we could improve the designs of future flying robots, and there are some biological materials like spider webs and pearls that we still haven't been able to replicate exactly. Here are just a few other examples of how we're learning from biology. If you'd like to read more awesome and interesting stuff, check out this unrelated (but not entirely random!) Techdirt post via StumbleUpon.
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Filed Under: biomimicry, bugs, firefly, insects, led, locomotion, mosquito, raindrops, robots, tails, wings


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  1. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 17 Jun 2013 @ 5:41pm

    http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/livemap-motorbike-helmet-with-navigation

    Controlling robot insects with the Master Chief's helmet would be cool.

    I saw this article about how some people are making artificial natural structures.
    http://phys.org/news/2013-06-d-artificial-bone.html

    And suddenly it came to me, what if you actually had bones as walls, you just print the scafolding put it in place and let cells grow in it to make bones. Wraith technology no doubt.


    This one reminds of Batman.
    http://phys.org/news/2013-06-microphones-algorithm-d-simple-convex.html

    People figure out how to use sounds to map rooms, now the NSA can now the layout of your home just by listening to the echos well it needs at least four microphones in the room so they would need four people to phone in that room :)
    But I am sure they can get it down to just two in no time.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 17 Jun 2013 @ 5:52pm

    So clever!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 17 Jun 2013 @ 6:05pm

    Wow!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  4. This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    Masnick = Coward, 17 Jun 2013 @ 6:19pm

    Want me to go away, Mikey? Then have an honest conversation with me. It's that simple. We both know that nothing scares you more. Nothing.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  5. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 17 Jun 2013 @ 6:45pm

    Re:

    Drunkard I told you not to snarf that milk from China.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  6. identicon
    Dirk Diggler, 17 Jun 2013 @ 7:01pm

    Damn, that's neat stuff!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  7. identicon
    Fred, 17 Jun 2013 @ 7:02pm

    okay

    Seems good to me.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  8. icon
    Rapnel (profile), 17 Jun 2013 @ 7:42pm

    Re:

    Now you're just being obnoxious, arrogant and threatening. Nice triple play. What's your next trick?

    Maybe if you pose your question to the public, directly, because that's who is privy, and deliver it with some precision then you might get what you want out of him along with other input that you probably don't have the slightest interest in. You are harassing a specific individual, directly, in public, and yet you are.. what? An idiot bot? Well done.

    State the specifics of your opinion about ( what? copyrights?) without the conflicts of this abhorrent public personality conflict. One that you abuse behind anonimity (so you thought). I have no idea who mike is and, well, I worry about other shit but you. have. issues. I'd inquire into a restraining order if this were my gig, at least until you can pose a fucking question that doesn't include the dog that ate your favorite teddy bear when you were a kid. One's opinion is one one, even one not fully formed, and yet you're busy being a pussy because you don't even have your own apart from the profit margin in your wallet.

    Just another teat on bull with no calves to suckle your.. milk. .. Nothing.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  9. This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 17 Jun 2013 @ 7:53pm

    wow, adding wings and tails to flying things is going to "ONE DAY" make flying things more agile !!!!!

    Glad you told us, otherwise we would NOT have worked that one out !!!!!..

    Geez, way to discover reality !!!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  10. This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 17 Jun 2013 @ 8:04pm

    Yes, it's true about Masnick

    Defend him all you like, but it does appear that he is a coward in being will to post things, yet unable or unwilling to stand up for what he says, or defend his position.

    It's one thing to just throw statements out as he does, it's entirely different to be willing to debate those statements or answer reasonable criticisms of them.

    This is after all what this comment section is meant for, it's not simply to blow wind up Masnicks ass, although there is a great deal of that happening.

    I'm am sure Masnick loves the adoration from the few who agree with him, but his inability to engage his detractors eliminates all of his credibility.

    The people who think Masnick a god and unable to do any wrong will continue to fight for him, but his inability to fight for himself says far more than his supporters could ever.

    It's a shame, because the supporters of Masnick are not Masnick and clearly are unable to represent Masnick.

    Masnick is also unable to represent himself, so why have a comment section at all ??

    What is the point, or is it only to inflate Masnicks ego and nothing else.
    It's certainly not about 'connecting with fans', something I believe Masnick wants to promote. Apparently not.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  11. identicon
    AC Unknown, 17 Jun 2013 @ 8:20pm

    Re: Yes, it's true about Masnick

    Fuck off. You're not even close to coherent, so go get some serious psychiatric help.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  12. This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 17 Jun 2013 @ 8:43pm

    Re: Yes, it's true about Masnick

    is this a place for comment, debate and discussion or is it a 'worship' place.. If so you really should change the name of this section from "comment', to "Worship" that would appear to be more accurate.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  13. This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 17 Jun 2013 @ 8:45pm

    Re: Re: Yes, it's true about Masnick

    thanks so much for proving my point !!!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  14. This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 17 Jun 2013 @ 8:46pm

    Re: Re: Yes, it's true about Masnick

    "serious psychiatric help"

    what other kinds are there ???

    link to this | view in thread ]

  15. identicon
    horse with no name, 18 Jun 2013 @ 1:49am

    Re: Yes, it's true about Masnick

    The reality? He is down to IP blocking and user name blocking. That is pretty sad.

    (all of my comments are being held for moderation... aka, held for deletion).

    link to this | view in thread ]

  16. This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 18 Jun 2013 @ 5:10am

    Re: Re: Yes, it's true about Masnick


    The people who think Masnick a god and unable to do any wrong will continue to fight for him, but his inability to fight for himself says far more than his supporters could ever.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  17. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 18 Jun 2013 @ 10:44am

    great post

    link to this | view in thread ]

  18. icon
    btrussell (profile), 19 Jun 2013 @ 6:14am

    Re: Re: Yes, it's true about Masnick

    It is just a place where people are given enough rope to hang themselves with their idiotic postings.

    I hope you know a good lawyer as you are treading dangerously close to territory where you will soon need one.

    P.S. Did you drop out of school? You have more time to post than anyone else here. Or is this the new job?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  19. icon
    btrussell (profile), 19 Jun 2013 @ 6:15am

    Re: Re: Yes, it's true about Masnick

    "(all of my comments are being held for moderation... aka, held for deletion)."

    Where should we go to read this comment then?

    link to this | view in thread ]


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