I spent the last two weeks on a family trip to The Dakotas, Montana and Wyoming. Our main goal was Yellowstone, but we spent a lot of time in other nature areas as well. It was Invigorating to spend so much time with my family in some of the most beautiful and wildlife rich areas of this great country. Here are some of the nature inspired ideas that came out of those weeks:
1.
Function: "Scare away". Mother grizzly bear bluff charges to scare away other animals and to protect her cubs.
Idea: Crime prevention system on houses, cars, offices could include more direct warnings to intruders, informing them more directly of the consequences of their actions, to hopefully deter them from their business. (The grizzly mother sure got the message through to the large elk approaching!)
2.
Function: "Symbiosis". Wolf lichen on trees are combined of a fungus that provides structural support and channeling/absorption of water and an algae that produce food for the organism through photosynthesis.
Idea: Tower gardens are becoming increasingly popular. How about exchanging the plastic they are usually made of with lichen, specifically grown and shaped for this purpose. The fungus would provide structure and algae would provide food for the organism to grow, while plants in the garden could grow, and when the tower no longer could produce, it would be 100% compostable.
3.
Function: "Multifunctional dwelling". Prairie dog burrow layout: air chambers, winter chambers, children chambers, lookout mounds
Idea: Underground homes for people with function specific rooms: deep (insulated) rooms for winter dwelling, light tunnels, water gathering and management systems integrated
4.
Function: "Thermal adjusting". Snake adjusting its temperature using sunlight and shade
Idea: Glass roof for houses in northern climate. Automatic blinds and roller shutters work with indoor temperature specifically for the rooms they are placed over.
5.
Function: "Building and releasing pressure". Geysers: lets off steam due to high temperature and pressure, plus a narrow opening.
Idea: Pressurized rain water barrel. To make the use of rain water for watering flowers easier, the rain water barrel could be pressurized and heated (through solar energy maybe), this would the rain water to be sprayed on flower beds rather than using a watering can.
6.
Function: "Up/Re-cycling". Decomposition of trees. Simply: When they die they become nutrients for animals and plants and eventually soil.
Idea: Ban packaging that is not 100% compostable. The solutions already exist. This would start creativity!
7.
Function: "Cooling". Horses sweat to cool down
Idea: Water cooled CPU´s. Rather than listening to the hum of the cooler, a closed circuit of water could cool the CPU and through a small heat exchanger, deliver the excess heat to surrounding air (or reuse this energy if possible?)
8.
Function: "Extend reach". Horse uses long tail to chase off flies from areas that cannot be reached.
Idea: broom like sweep for raingutters
9.
Function: "Gathering energy". Rock dwelling pika storing dead leaves for winter like a haypile
Idea: Combining the abundance of greens and sunlight during summer to dry more healthy food for the winter months rather than shipping in "fresh" vegetables from Chile to Chicago in february.
10.
Function: "Protecting". Bighorn sheep male protect their brain while crashing their heads into competitors
Idea: Use similar design for fenders in cars or bike helmets.
/Christian
1.
Function: "Scare away". Mother grizzly bear bluff charges to scare away other animals and to protect her cubs.
Idea: Crime prevention system on houses, cars, offices could include more direct warnings to intruders, informing them more directly of the consequences of their actions, to hopefully deter them from their business. (The grizzly mother sure got the message through to the large elk approaching!)
2.
Function: "Symbiosis". Wolf lichen on trees are combined of a fungus that provides structural support and channeling/absorption of water and an algae that produce food for the organism through photosynthesis.
Idea: Tower gardens are becoming increasingly popular. How about exchanging the plastic they are usually made of with lichen, specifically grown and shaped for this purpose. The fungus would provide structure and algae would provide food for the organism to grow, while plants in the garden could grow, and when the tower no longer could produce, it would be 100% compostable.
3.
Function: "Multifunctional dwelling". Prairie dog burrow layout: air chambers, winter chambers, children chambers, lookout mounds
Idea: Underground homes for people with function specific rooms: deep (insulated) rooms for winter dwelling, light tunnels, water gathering and management systems integrated
4.
Function: "Thermal adjusting". Snake adjusting its temperature using sunlight and shade
Idea: Glass roof for houses in northern climate. Automatic blinds and roller shutters work with indoor temperature specifically for the rooms they are placed over.
5.
Function: "Building and releasing pressure". Geysers: lets off steam due to high temperature and pressure, plus a narrow opening.
Idea: Pressurized rain water barrel. To make the use of rain water for watering flowers easier, the rain water barrel could be pressurized and heated (through solar energy maybe), this would the rain water to be sprayed on flower beds rather than using a watering can.
6.
Function: "Up/Re-cycling". Decomposition of trees. Simply: When they die they become nutrients for animals and plants and eventually soil.
Idea: Ban packaging that is not 100% compostable. The solutions already exist. This would start creativity!
7.
Function: "Cooling". Horses sweat to cool down
Idea: Water cooled CPU´s. Rather than listening to the hum of the cooler, a closed circuit of water could cool the CPU and through a small heat exchanger, deliver the excess heat to surrounding air (or reuse this energy if possible?)
8.
Function: "Extend reach". Horse uses long tail to chase off flies from areas that cannot be reached.
Idea: broom like sweep for raingutters
9.
Function: "Gathering energy". Rock dwelling pika storing dead leaves for winter like a haypile
Idea: Combining the abundance of greens and sunlight during summer to dry more healthy food for the winter months rather than shipping in "fresh" vegetables from Chile to Chicago in february.
10.
Function: "Protecting". Bighorn sheep male protect their brain while crashing their heads into competitors
Idea: Use similar design for fenders in cars or bike helmets.
/Christian