Lab+8


 * Write a short, one paragraph synopsis for each of your four favourite product designs. (4 paragraphs)**


 * __High Speed Train__- The High Speed Train in Japan is one of my four favourite product designs listed at Green Design in Business Week. The designers use the characteristics of two kind of birds- Owl and Kingfisher to reduce noise pollution made by the train. The designers implement the serrations on the owl's feathers to the design of the train's pantograph. The designers also mimic the Kingfisher's beak for the design of the train's nose cone. Both elements reduce the noise produced by the train.


 * __Toxic free glue__- I think it is a very interesting and useful design. Glue is being used in a wide varies of things. However, the existing glue is toxic and can pollute our environment. By mimicking how secretions mussels stick on the walls of underwater, the designers use their unique composition to create a glue that is toxic-free. This super sticky glue can be used in building furnitures and a variety of things that need a strong glue to composite.


 * __Bone furniture__- The idea of mimicking bone masses to create light yet strong structures is my favourite. Personally I think it is very smart to look at the human body and use its elements in design. Human's bones seem fragile but the strucutre of our bone mass is strong enough to support and protect our bodies. I wish to see more products using the bone structure to create a strong body.


 * __Self-Healing Pipelines__- The "Platelet Technology" is very smart. The technology saves human labour, time and money to look for the leakage on the pipeline. It is also especially useful when there are numbers of pipes in one place. The "Platelet Technology" also allow the pipes to be fixed as fast as possible as there are sensors inside them. The platelets are able to look for tiny holes that human may not be able to inspect.


 * Write three paragraphs defining how, according to Janine Benyus, "the simple, elegant mechanics developed by nature often make sense in a human context, too". (3 paragraphs)**

The quote "the simple, elegant mechanics developed by nature often make sense in a human context, too" by Janine Benyus points out that the designs that human develop and experience can be integrated with the system of the nature too. It is because what the nature develops would function well with human too because human is also part of the nature.

Janine Benyus develops Biomimicry, which is a discipline that explore sustainable solutions with the existing nature's designs and processes. (http://www.janinebenyus.com/) Janine Benyus has stayed in various places to discover more about the nature's system. After understanding the nature's system, Janine Benyus gains enough knowledge on how to integrate human design with the nature. Janine Benyus believes that the nature is a genius in designing things that works perfectly with human, therefore Benyus believes that the nature is the best model for future developments in various areas, such as solar cells, business models etc...

Biomimicry also values the discipline of developing products that are sustainable. Sustainable designs decrease the harm that does to the nature, the place where human is living and relying on. Currently, industrial designs and human development have done lots of harm to our environment. Janine Benyus believes that if human values and understands the intelligent of nature, human would cherish the nature more and stop destroying it.