Tag Archives: Biomimicry

Self-grooming cat house combs away loose fur each time they pass through

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Furry friends are full of fun, at least until it’s time to actually keep them healthy and well-maintained. Both dogs and cats have a never-ending fur problem, but felines are more notorious for not being as enthusiastic about being brushed and combed, unlike their canine counterparts. That said, cats are also sticklers for cleanliness, but all their licking unfortunately results in unsightly hairballs in the end. This rather ingenious contraption offers a solution that makes that brushing feel almost natural to the cat, and it does so by taking advantage of the most cat-like behavior of all: squeezing into very tight spaces.

Designer: Paw-Swing

At first glance, the Paw-Swing Purrring (yes, that’s how it’s spelled) Cat Self-Grooming House looks nothing more than a felt-covered box with a rather small circular opening in front. This combination is, of course, irresistible to cats who’ll want to explore and try to fit into that tight space, which is exactly why it’s designed this way. And as soon as it passes through that hole, its loose fur gets brushed away in a manner that makes the cat feel like it’s being licked by its mother instead.

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The secret is the six cylindrical brushes around the circular entrance of the house, each with a surface designed to mimic the papillae on a cat’s tongue. To the cat, this feels like a more natural grooming method, which is normally employed by mother cats licking their young. Of course, the fur isn’t ingested and is simply stored in a separate compartment for easy cleaning later. This process happens each and every time the cat passes through the entrance, making manual grooming a thing of the past.

While the self-grooming cat house requires no electricity or motors to implement the grooming part, it does have a tech component to its design. There is an automated treat dispenser installed at the top to entice your cats to come closer to the box, and when it does go in, it records how many times the cat comes in and leaves. This data is made available to owners to help them monitor the habits and health of their feline family.

Beyond the grooming and the feeding, the Purrring cat house is also, well, a house for cats. Its felt material makes the box comfortable and safe for cats, not to mention environment-friendly and recyclable as well. The Self-Grooming Cat House thus offers a safe haven for cats that also take a load off their humans’ minds, at least until it’s time to take out the collected fur.

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Bio-Cement: A Potential Material That May Replace Regular Cement

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Industrial designer Mary Lempres has unveiled a groundbreaking bio-cement structure named Reef Rocket, inspired by the intricate and resilient nature of oyster reefs. Designed to combat coastal flooding, filter seawater, and foster biodiversity, Reef Rocket utilizes biomimicry principles to mimic the functionalities of naturally occurring oyster reefs.

Designers: Mary Lempres, Ahmed Miftah

The structure comprises two bio-cement modules with ridged surfaces that can be stacked to form a distinctive rocket-like shape when assembled underwater. Lempres collaborated with bio-geotechnical specialist Ahmed Miftah to develop a unique method for growing plant-derived cement, drawing parallels to the irrigation systems used for plant cultivation.

Biomimicry, the practice of seeking solutions to human design challenges in nature, guided Lempres in creating ridged modules that emulate coastal oyster reefs. These reefs naturally filter algae from seawater, attract aquatic organisms, dissipate wave energy, mitigate storm surges, and manage eroding coastlines.

The bio-cement modules are formed by pouring a non-toxic solution containing a crude extract from globally grown plants over crushed aggregate. The aggregate, sourced in New York City, consists of crushed glass and oyster shells recovered from local restaurants and New York Harbour.

Lempres explained that the substrate, saturated for three to nine days, becomes natural concrete as the extracted biocatalyst causes minerals to form “mineral bridges” between the glass and shell waste. The resulting product is water-resistant, durable, and comparable to standard concrete but with the added benefit of being environmentally friendly and sustainable.

What sets Reef Rocket apart is its ability to grow in any environment without the need for heat or burning fossil fuels. Lempres emphasized its affordability and scalability as a sustainable alternative to traditional cement. The bio-concrete shares chemical similarities with the material oysters use to grow their reefs, but the key difference lies in the speed of growth, with Reef Rocket taking only several days compared to millennia for natural oyster reefs.

Lempres and her team experimented with “hundreds” of prototypes before settling on prefabricated molds for the modules. These molds allow the bio-cement to be packed and set without the need for heat or chemicals, offering an accessible and efficient assembly process.

Reef Rocket’s deliberate design prioritizes small size, lightweight construction, and ease of assembly, aiming to make the innovative solution accessible to a broad audience. Lempres envisions a future where durable materials can be grown like crops, regenerating waste and mitigating environmental pollution. The project stands as a testament to the potential of biomimicry and sustainable design in addressing the challenges posed by climate change and coastal resilience. Reef Rocket represents a significant step towards harmonizing human infrastructure with the resilient and regenerative capacities of the natural world.

The post Bio-Cement: A Potential Material That May Replace Regular Cement first appeared on Yanko Design.

Combining Nature And Technology For Sustainable Plant Care

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In the realm of biomimicry, the Fog Smart Hydroponic Planter stands out as a futuristic marvel inspired by the incredible abilities of the fog-basking beetle. It is a masterpiece that seamlessly blends the brilliance of biomimicry, advanced materials, and smart technology. Inspired by the fog-basking beetle native to the Namibian deserts, this hydroponic planter is not merely a vessel for plants but a pioneering solution that promises a greener, more sustainable future.

Designer: Rishikesh Sonawane

Biomimicry is a practice that learns from and mimics the strategies found in nature to solve human design challenges. The fog-basking beetle, a tiny inhabitant of the Namibian deserts, can thrive in arid conditions by extracting moisture from the surrounding fog. Its microstructural adaptations, enhancing surface area by up to 60%, allow it to condense and redirect moisture, providing a source of sustenance in environments where water sources are scarce. This ingenious adaptation has become the inspiration behind the Fog Smart Hydroponic Planter.

This planter represents a harmonious convergence of biomimicry and modern design principles. Unlike traditional planters, it transcends mere functionality, aspiring to become a statement piece that marries aesthetics with technological innovation. The modular design, a hallmark of this project, not only facilitates ease of use but also underscores the commitment to adaptability and sustainable plant care.

The use of advanced materials fortifies the structural integrity of the Fog Smart Hydroponic Planter. The air intake module is meticulously crafted from Plexiglas, a polymer renowned for its resistance to sunlight (also used in aquariums and airplane windows), preventing yellowing over time. The main body incorporates Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate (LECA), a versatile clay composite with superior water retention properties, strength, and porosity. The aluminum 6063 base complements this ensemble, providing a stable foundation resistant to corrosion.

To achieve simplicity and practicality, the planter is ingeniously disassembled into four primary components. The drip tray, perforated ring, metal ring, and polymer cap collectively ensure easy maintenance and cleaning. The LECA planter’s internal structure, designed to mimic the fog-basking beetle’s shell, employs hydrophilic and hydrophobic elements strategically, optimizing moisture retention and distribution.

The planter introduces a groundbreaking approach to airflow dynamics by incorporating the Coanda Effect. As humid air courses through the planter, moisture is absorbed, contributing to increased turbine efficiency. This design concept draws inspiration from well-established technologies, such as Dyson fans and jet turbines, showcasing a commitment to energy efficiency.

Elevating plant care to new heights, the planter integrates intelligent features denoted as Smart+. A temperature and humidity sensor, intricately linked with the electronic components, dynamically adjusts the turbine speed, allowing users precise control over the plant’s microenvironment. The accompanying app, a technological companion, provides real-time data on humidity and temperature levels, offering insightful recommendations for optimal watering cycles based on the geographic location of the planter.

User interaction with the Fog Smart Hydroponic Planter is facilitated through an intuitive and user-friendly app interface. The app acts as a conduit between the user and the planter’s internal environment, allowing the monitoring of moisture concentrations, receiving water cycle recommendations, and tracking humidity and temperature levels throughout the day. This digital integration transforms the planter from a mere vessel into a sophisticated and futuristic table accessory.

The Fog Smart Hydroponic Planter is not merely a horticultural innovation; it is a testament to the symbiosis of nature and technology in the pursuit of sustainable living. As we navigate the complexities of modern existence, this planter stands as a beacon of hope, offering a glimpse into a future where our interaction with nature is characterized by thoughtful design, cutting-edge technology, and a commitment to environmental harmony. With each leaf it nurtures, it heralds a greener, more sustainable tomorrow, where biomimicry and technological ingenuity converge to create a better world—one plant at a time.

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Multi-layer modular supportive pillow also comes with a pocket to tuck your hands into while sleeping

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It isn’t that the Stack Pillow is built to be more comfortable than other pillows… it’s that the Stack Pillow also acknowledges one of the most primitive sleeping patterns where you put your hand underneath your head as you sleep on your side. Designed with a dual-layer system, the Stack Pillow by Shengxi has an upper vegan down layer made that gives you ultimate comfort and boosts air circulation, and a lower memory foam layer that provides support and enables spinal alignment. Right between both those layers is an empty space that lets you tuck your hands in as you sleep. All in all, the Stack Pillow isn’t just about promoting comfort and support (because you spend one-third of your life asleep), it’s about encouraging behaviors that help you sleep more comfortably and naturally too!

Designer: SHENGXI Design

Click Here to Buy Now: $99 $197 ($98 off). Hurry, only 20/380 left!

The Stack Pillow’s unique construction plays a large role in its capabilities. Unlike regular pillows that are either soft and supportless or tough and uncomfortable, Stack Pillow has the best of both worlds. It comes broadly with an upper stack made from vegan down, responsible for providing the comfort you often find in luxuriously soft hotel pillows, along with supreme breathability.

The lower stack, made from bio memory foam, provides just the right amount of lift, ensuring that your head and spine are positioned in the right way to give you a comfortable night’s rest without neck fatigue the next day. The two stacks have a breathable micro-mesh between them, made using Nephrite that increases the thermal conductivity of the mesh by 19x, making it better at thermoregulating your pillow to keep your hands and neck cool at night. The entire pillow also comes with a Tencel eucalyptus silk cover that boosts coolness and comfort, while being naturally antimicrobial.

The Stack Pillow gets its name from its stackable design. Aside from the two broad layers that make up the pillow’s architecture, the Stack Pillow comes with additional stacks for your head or neck, giving you the kind of support you need based on your body type. These mini stacks slide into the pillow through the gap in the center, allowing you to modulate your pillow’s profile so it perfectly fits your unique needs.

All in all, the Stack Pillow tries (and succeeds) to provide a pillow that’s truly built with no compromises. The Stack Pillow starts at $99, which includes the pillow, the Tencel eucalyptus silk pillowcase, and 3 mini pillows to adjust your Stack Pillow’s profile. For $169, you can upgrade to the Stack Down Pillow Pack that swaps the vegan down upper pillow for authentic European white goose down, comes with 6 extra mini pillows, and even a Tencel eucalyptus silk eye mask to give you the most luxuriously comfortable snooze ever. After all, you spend one-third of your life asleep… you might as well do it well, right?

Click Here to Buy Now: $99 $197 ($98 off). Hurry, only 20/380 left!

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Sustainable waterfront infrastructure uses unique concrete technology to replace traditional rock ripraps

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ECOncrete’s patented technology is used to replace inorganic concrete rock ripraps with durable and sustainable infrastructure to provide long-lasting protection for vulnerable shorelines.

While ripraps are familiar sights, their structural formation and the effects they have on the environment are largely left unknown by the general public. Used to armor, stabilize, and protect the shoreline of bodies of water, like lakes, rivers, and oceans, rock ripraps are human-placed revetments that form protective barriers along vulnerable shorelines.

Accounting for vegetation suppression, thermal pollution, and synthetic waste, it seems rock riprap has become an antiquated solution to a lasting problem. Reinterpreting the conventional rock riprap through biomimicry to fit modern environmental needs, ECOncrete developed Coastalock, a new type of durable and sustainable infrastructure to replace rock ripraps. In San Diego, ECOncrete’s patented technology is being used to create a durable and sustainable infrastructure for the Port of San Diego. To replace traditional riprap, ECOncrete set out to create effective, efficient, and climate-adapted armor to protect the Port of San Diego for continued use.

In addition to offering lasting protection for the port, ECOncrete’s patented technology creates sustainable pools for marine species to inhabit and rehabilitates those habitats for fish to enjoy cooler temperatures and organic living surfaces, while generating an expansive carbon sink in the process. Explaining the process behind the Port of San Diego’s new protective barrier, ECOncrete describes, “74 interlocking single-layer armor units were deployed in two pilot sections…The units were rotated to mimic tidepool and cave habitats for local marine life. After a successful 3-day installation, the Port is working with ECOncrete to install 1,000 additional feet of coastal protection.”

Co-founded by marine biologists and innovators, ECOncrete was started to help mitigate the harmful effects of concrete on marine life and ecosystems. Established in 2012, ECOncrete is an interdisciplinary science-backed company with a team made up of many different professionals, from creative designers to technology specialists. Developing a new standard for marine-centered concrete, ECOncrete’s patented technology helps build stronger marine infrastructure which can be used for various functions.

Designer: ECOncrete

The grooves of ECOncrete’s infrastructure provide safe inhabitation zones for marine life. 

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Luxury Yacht Club shaped like a manta ray poises gracefully above the ocean

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Luxury Yacht Club Manta Ray

It might be no match for Jeff Bezos’ superyacht (which is big enough to probably have its own yacht club inside it), but there’s definitely a lot that’s awe-striking about Thilina Liyanage’s Luxury Yacht Club. Inspired by the shape of a manta ray, the club sprawls over a chunk of the coastline, providing an area for yacht-owners to mingle while their million-dollar marine-vehicles stay docked around the manta ray’s periphery. The club extends over both water and land, looking almost like a manta ray swimming towards the shore with its tail facing the distant watery horizon.

The Luxury Yacht Club comes from the mind of Sri Lanka-based Thilina Liyanage, an architect and 3D visualizer who’s begun to impress with his nature-inspired architectural marvels. His past projects include a beachside restaurant/shack shaped to look like a massive goldfish, and a set of restaurants inspired by a pelican’s beak, located on the precipice of a cliff. The Luxury Yacht Club is yet another expressive vision from the designer, of a waterfront property inspired by a water-based animal. The resemblance to the manta ray is spot on, with the elaborate use of the right colors, volumes, proportions, and curves.

Luxury Yacht Club Manta Ray

Luxury Yacht Club Manta Ray

The manta ray-shaped building floats on a wooden pier built on the coast of an ocean or sea, with its large mouth acting as the structure’s entrance and the tail extending off to form the club’s branched piers where the yachts can dock. While the yachts remain docked, the club’s large canopy provides a great space for owners to mingle around. Its spacious design is big enough for a concierge, lounge, bar, restaurant, and a host of other facilities one could expect from an exclusive luxury club meant for millionaires.

Luxury Yacht Club Manta Ray

Liyanage tends to resort to the use of bamboo to realize his organic architecture designs, but that’s not the case with the Luxury Yacht Club. Made to be much larger in size than some of his other structures (and to also be able to withstand winds and tides), the club comes fabricated from large metal pipes that are curved to form the manta ray’s basic frame. The pipes are then clad with a canvas or cloth to give it volume while making it look quite like the manta ray’s white underbelly. The fabric helps diffuse sunlight during the day, illuminating the club’s interiors, while allows light from the inside to diffuse outwards at night, making for a wonderful aerial view!

Designer: Thilina Liyanage

Luxury Yacht Club Manta Ray

Luxury Yacht Club Manta Ray

Luxury Yacht Club Manta Ray

This indoor micro-algae farm mounts to any wall to grow the superfood right at home!

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Coral and algae have a symbiotic relationship, one that biomimicry design can depend on as a model. Coral reefs provide algae with a safe environment to grow along with the compounds needed for photosynthesis, while the algae produce oxygen and supply coral reefs with the nutrients needed to keep their ecosystems colorful and healthy. The algae convert carbon dioxide into nutrient-rich biomass, allowing coral reefs to still thrive even in nutrient-poor waters. Following this cycle and applying it to human life, the health benefits of consuming algae cannot be overstated. In order to incorporate algae, a nutrient-rich superfood, into our homes and daily health rituals, Hyunseok An’s design team Ulrim designed The Coral, an indoor micro-algae farm that looks as good as it is for you.

Using algae to convert carbon dioxide into energy, The Coral implements the use of a bioreactor to support its micro-biological farm. The bioreactor provides a controlled environment for the algae to enact photosynthesis and produce the nutrients that are then contained within the wall-mounted cell blocks for future consumption. Each cell block is like a microcosm of stagnant ponds covered with a healthy coating of algae, the only difference being that The Coral is a controlled environment. This controlled environment allows each cell block to successfully perform the symbiotic relationship that occurs in nature as we witness take place in coral reefs. Each of The Coral’s 16 cell blocks contains two-grams of algae that darken as the algae grow. Once a cell block reaches its darkest blue-green, typically over the span of two weeks, it can be consumed and taken in as a daily health supplement, as the cycle is then replenished and continued.

The Coral’s gradient look is biomimicry at its best as it’s the result of a living micro-algae farm moving through the natural process of photosynthesis. Algae is quickly gaining traction for the nutrient-packed superfood that it is and in designing The Coral, Ulrim hoped to bridge the health benefits gained from algae with our daily habits and lived-in spaces. By creating a means for harvesting algae in any home, The Coral provides a sustainable means for attaining enduring overall health.

Designer: Ulrim

These origami greenhouses reduce plastic waste using a sustainable material: inflatable bamboo!

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You will find that in a lot of Southeast Asian countries people still use the traditional plastic-covered greenhouses and they are super popular in India which is the world’s second-biggest agricultural country. Polythene sheets are cheap and easy especially for those in developing countries like India where over 60% of the population depends on agriculture for income. We know that plastic is bad (and still find it so hard to remove it from our lifestyles), but most people in these countries don’t fully grasp that and the quickest way to convince them is by providing them with an accessible sustainable alternative while educating them simultaneously. This way we fast-track their sustainable journey and Designer Eliza Hague has already come up with the alternative solution – inflatable bamboo greenhouses!

Hague is a student at the University of Westminster where she is pursuing her Masters in Architecture. Her design features shellac-coated bamboo to emphasize the use of biomimicry in different disciplines of design – in her case it is providing eco-friendly architectural solutions inspired by nature. For the main structure, Hague drew inspiration from the Mimosa Pudica plant which closes its leaves when it senses danger and that is how she came up with collapsible beams featuring inflatable hinges. It gave the greenhouse a unique origami effect (it actually looks like paper too!) and also enables the structure to be easily flat-packed for transportation/storage. Rows of these bamboo-paper greenhouses can be connected to shared houses constructed from the soil, which has a high thermal mass, providing shelter from extreme temperatures in India. Hague envisions that the greenhouses would be shared by multiple families and would provide each family member with enough food to be self-sufficient, creating communal greenhouse villages in the city’s more rural and isolated areas.

“The tutors in Design Studio 10 encourage you to analyze what it means to be truly sustainable in architecture, rather than integrating sustainability as a generic requirement which is often seen throughout the industry. This helped to develop my project into something that challenges the suitability of widely used materials and current lifestyles. In light of the pandemic, the idea that architecture can provide spaces to encourage self-sufficient living has become more prevalent as we rely on supermarkets more than ever. This notion stimulated the desire to create a design that not only responded to its local environment but proposed innovative solutions to these challenges,” says Hague as she continues to develop her design so it can someday be an accessible alternative that will reduce plastic waste and educate people at the same time. Also, who wouldn’t love a cool, sustainable, origami dome as a greenhouse?

Designer: Eliza Hague

Polythene is used all over India because it is cost-effective for the rural demographic but it needs to be replaced each year which generates tonnes of plastic waste. With Hague’s alternative, the environmental impact can be minimized as the design uses locally sourced bamboo and natural resins extracted from trees.

The bamboo is then coated with shellac resin which makes it weather-resistant and gives it a texture similar to paper.

To set it up, all one has to do is inflate the greenhouse with air, cover it up with the bamboo-shellac material and fit the expandable fin-like black solar balloons that would sit between the inflatable beams and cladding for the hinges to facilitate natural ventilation based on the heat from the sun.

bamboo greenhouse

As each individual requires 40 meters-squared of greenhouse space to grow enough food to maintain self-sufficiency, the concept accommodates the potential different typologies based on two-person, three-person, and four-person homes.

From experimental to inventive, these animal-inspired products are design inspiration at its best!

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  1. “Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you,” said Frank Lloyd Wright. Being acquainted with his work in organic architecture, we know the man meant business! The same business designer Andrew Tiah explored and captured in these unique product designs – from a tiny lady bug to a grizzly bear, each of his creation will instantly remind you of their origin, compounding the bond between products and their owners with ease!

A Lady Bug is the inspiration behind this strikingly cool hairdryer. To differentiate from the usual norm of hairdryers available in the market, this dryer uses touch to simplify controls in place of buttons. The OLED screen allows users to precisely set the temperature and even save their presets! To reinforce the ladybug aesthetics, the fan of the dryer resembles their wings while the overall form gives a fun and playful approach to this design.

Earbuds may be minimal but these flamingo-inspired buds are designed to demand attention! The buds feature an organic, waterproof design with two tactile buttons providing volume controls and a touch bar is used for pausing and interacting with the design. The main attraction of this design lies in paying homage to the vibrancy found in nature and to help you replicate it in style!

A shark is ferocious enough, a shark-inspired jet bike is sure to turn heads wherever it roams. Edgy and angular, the bike creates a sleek seat that cradles the rider while a microturbine rotates powerfully and speeds you through the water. And you can’t have shark without discussing Jaws – the fins of the shark inspires the angeled form of the bike, to help you ergonomically slice through the water with ease.

Meet the modern-day dragon, the Arowana is a streamlined, sleek fish with its scales like an armour plating. The shoe inspired by the fish features a waterproof, scale-like upper and a gel outsole. The brilliant colours of the fish make this sneaker design a complete attention seeker!

Speaking of ferocious creatures, the Jurassic Park series has played their part in making velociraptors everyone’s favorite yet feared dinos – remember the evil villain’s plan to use raptors in a war? So designer Andrew decided to take that as an inspiration and bring it to life on our everyday battlefront – the desktop. This Velociraptor inspired mouse takes the sharp lines and the hits of color to convey the emotion and characteristics of the animal. The LED light bar provides the user with notifications updates and acts as a digital slider for adjusting volume, playback, etc. A cool Easter egg is Andrew’s plan of packaging the mouse in an acrylic dino egg!

Meet RAVEN, inspired by the raven – an emergency poncho that keeps you warm, repels water along with a mask to keep your mouth and nose covered. Dementor-inspired looks for free!

Bare Sounds (love the punny name) is equally rugged yet adorable as a real grizzly bear! Designed for the outdoors person, this Bluetooth speaker uses a brushed aluminum to provide contrast to the bear’s original brown. As a cute bonus, the ears of the speaker double up as lanyard ears to help you carry it around while camping!

This Galapagos Turtle inspired chair is my comfy spot to keep me cushy yet productive during work from home! Named the Conform Turtle Chair, the chair is made from green felt and features a stainless swivel base. The ribbed back of the cushions keeps your back supported while the chair’s arms help you nestle into the chair with ease!