Inspiration (and Perspiration) from Biology

Inspiration (and perspiration) from biology.

The exquisite structures produced by biological systems provide inspiration for the fabrication of nanomaterials. We sometimes forget, however, that Nature can provide muscle while serving as a Muse--a wide array of nanosystems are produced biologically that can be used for the design of functional materials. At the 2007 Materials Research Society Fall Meeting in Boston, Symposium MM (Biomolecu...

Combining Innovation and Perspiration

For many design problems, the requirements and/or the available technology change quickly relative to the design cycle. As a result each new artifact designed involves some degree of innovation, and there is much that the designer must learn in the process of doing the design. The Computer Aided Productivity (CAP) Project at Rutgers has been carrying out a retrospective study of just such a tas...

From Biology to Inspiration and Back: Is the Pallidal Complex a Reservoir?

Inspiration from the Legs

How does the nervous system coordinate the control of different behaviors? For example, different rhythmic behaviors that normally function independently may need to work together under certain circumstances. One example of this phenomenon is the way that our respiratory rate goes up when we start running. Vertebrate breathing frequency increases immediately with locomotor activity, so it’s not...

Diabetes Care: Inspiration from Sikhism

Religion has been proposed as a means of enhancing patient and community acceptance of diabetes and cultural specific motivational strategies to improve diabetes care. Sikhism is a young and vibrant religion, spread across the world and the Holy Scripture Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) is regarded as the living Guru by all Sikhs. The three key pillars of Sikhism are Kirat Karni (honest living), V...