BIOMIMICRY
After 3.8 billion years, humans are now turning to the natural world to seek solutions to challenges faced today. Whether we are searching for solutions to higher efficacy in supply chain management, seeking alternatives to toxic chemicals used in carpet, designing a better prosthetic, or more efficient wind turbines, the natural world has most likely already produced numerous elegant solutions. Our human ability to be creative, to produce new knowledge, to ask good questions, and to imagine innovative solutions is predicated in large part on our ability to recognize and transform what already exists in nature. Biomimicry is the tool for doing this.
Elegant wind energy sequestration for all
Reducing electrical costs and their downstream effects on the planet are key drivers for a sustainable, safe, and progressive future. Local residential energy generation can be had with efficient systems of micro-hybridization through shared smart grids if designed properly. This will generate prosperous economies and job security for years to come.
This turbine was never produced due to patent leasing challenges.
BENEFIT REALIZATION
THE SOLUTION
Creating stable energy generation through elegant, pragmatic design-forward wind turbines increase perceptions of energy security and piece of mind.
A biomimetic horizontal axis wind turbine that quickly catches gusts at low altitudes and stores electrical energy by way of electrolysis for oxy-hydrogen burning when needed for close to zero phase-change loss.
DESIGN DETAILS
theory
CAD
The physical representation of energy is represented in nature by the Fibonacci spiral. Collecting and turning work (wind) into usable energy is thereby achieved through the mimicking of nature's natural states of motion.
Many iterations were conceived using Solidworks along with numerous 3D prints to test and refine the multi-functional rotor (impeller) and stator (arrayed airfoil).
in the news
engineering
Colorado Biz Magazine featured me after winning the, Best Consumer Product of The Year with the Da Vinci Institute.
Working out the mechanics of the machine was a fun and challenging task, particularly the weight distribution and balancing.
Nature inspired toy design
An exercise in aerodynamic studies of the samara seed and a redesign of the briefly popular lawn darts before hurting numerous users. This was not only a focus of safety, it was rooted in education, as the toy was specified to be made from PLA with local seeds embedded within the bulb so that when the toy had broken children would have the opportunity to learn about the cycle of life by planting the toy and having a tree grow from the biodegrading of the plastic, educating them on the philosophy of net-positive sustainable product design first hand.
BENEFIT REALIZATION
THE SOLUTION
Outdoor gaming that comes in a fun, safe, and educational form for all ages.
Through the careful addition of a balancing cross-wing for stability upon ascending, combining of the samara seed's ability to drive itself in circular descent, and the use of PLA material the result is the ultimate safe, fun, educational backyard toy.
OTHER PROJECTS
LFP SYSTEM
Compounding losses in large scale systems such as the friction coefficient loss due to long range transportation of fluids and gasses amount to staggering downstream waste. Through new applications from biomimicry, millions of years of intelligence is helping to solve this issue. The LFP system captures a wealth of loss from standard friction induced piping systems through micro-turbulent buffering. (patent pending)