Hydroelectric power
Hydrogen fuel cell technology
Plants (Plantae) are mostly responsible for the fact the world looks like it does. Precise numbers are difficult to determine, but as of 2010, there are thought to be 300–315 thousand species of plants, of which the great majority, some 260–290 thousand, are seed plants. Green plants provide most of the world's molecular oxygen and are the basis of most of the earth's ecologies, especially on land.
Plants
Scientists have developed a design for an 'artificial leaf' that can produce hydrogen from sunlight and water through a process similar to photosynthesis. Hydrogen fuel cell technology has been hampered by the difficulties in producing hydrogen in a cost-effective way. Using sunlight to accomplish the task, as the world's green plants do, could help to wean us off of fossil fuels toward renewable energy sources that do not release carbon dioxide. The researchers found that the structure of green leaves provides extremely high light-harvesting efficiency, so their artificial leaves will make use of that architecture in their design. This could also be used to provide energy in rural areas in less developed countries.
On the energy front biomimicry is offering several intriguing designs for tapping the movement of waves and tides to produce electricity from mechanical energy. An Australian company BioPower Systems has developed Biowave, a system that mimics the motion of underwater plants to generate power. Buoyant blades are anchored to the seabed and can bend and rotate in the currents to generate electricity. A 250kw prototype is being tested off the coast of Tasmania, which if successful will be scaled up to produce electricity for the entire state of Victoria and the city of Melbourne.
Taking a cue from how maple seeds manage to drift for long distances using an unusual shape to spiral themselves through the air, DARPA is designing a drone that uses that same spinning motion to fly, including an ability to do vertical take-offs. The trick to the maple seed is that it's one "wing" helps it to whirl in the air as it falls, giving the breeze a chance to pick it up and carry it away from the tree. That kind of whirling action is what DARPA was after for a new drone that could be used for collecting military intelligence or gathering data on deforestation, monitoring endangered species, checking in on pollution levels and so on.
Researchers have figured out how to make a robot that acts like a Venus fly trap, snapping shut when an insect lands on it. It can be done either with sensors or with the weight of the insect. This carnivorous plant-like robot could be combined with technology used by the Ecobot to digest insects and then derive energy from them to be a self-sustaining bug-eating bot. While the applications for this aren't immediately clear it could be used to tackle the spread of malaria by mosquitoes or by gardeners to keep their greenhouses pest free.
Helicopters and drones
Bug-eating robots
Waterproofing
Self cleaning surfaces
A common weed in waterways has helped create a waterproof coating for fabrics. The Salvinia molesta is an annoying plant to many, but not to scientists at Ohio State University. This weed has eggbeater-shaped hairs that trap air and keep the plant floating on the surface of the water. The shape of the hairs allow it to easily trap air in little pockets, and the tip of the hairs are sticky so it can cling to the water. The hairs thus create a combination of buoyancy and clingy-ness that keep the plant floating but stale on the surface of the water. Engineers recreated this unusual feature using plastic and tests of the material so have have been successful. The scientists think it could mean an ideal material for things like boats and other aquatic vehicles.
Biomimicry is everywhere, recently scientists used the slick leaves of a carnivorous Nepenthes pitcher plant as the inspiration behind a new material that can coat items to keep the contents from sticking to them. The scientists think the material could be useful for everything from self-cleaning surfaces (minimizing the use of cleaners) to coating the inside of condiment bottles so every last drop of sauce drips out (minimizing food waste). It could also be use inside pipes as it repels both water and oily materials, which could help reduce clogs and even cracks caused by ice.
Velcro jumping (!)
Paint
The lotus flower is sort of like the sharkskin of dry land. The flower's micro-rough surface naturally repels dust and dirt particles, keeping its petals sparkling clean. If you've ever looked at a lotus leaf under a microscope, you've seen a sea of tiny nail-like protuberances that can fend off specks of dust. When water rolls over a lotus leaf, it collects anything on the surface, leaving a clean and healthy leaf behind.
A German company, Ispo, spent four years researching this phenomenon and has developed a paint with similar properties. The micro-rough surface of the paint pushes away dust and dirt, diminishing the need to wash the outside of a house.
Velcro is possibly the most widely known example of biomimicry. You may have worn shoes with velcro straps as a youngster. Velcro was invented by Swiss engineer George de Mestral in 1941 after he removed burrs from his dog and decided to take a closer look at how they worked. The small hooks found at the end of the burr needles inspired him to create the now ubiquitous Velcro. Without this material, the world wouldn't know Velcro jumping — a sport in which people dressed in full suits of Velcro attempt to throw their bodies as high up on a wall as possible.
Desalination plants
Mangrove trees and forest turn salt water into freshwater. This could be used in desalination plants, requiring less energy than mechanical methods and allowing non-toxic water treatment reducing the potential for corrosion in water pipes and dangerous chemicals entering the water supply.
