Biofore Magazine 2022

24

A design inspired by the overlapping scales of sharkskin is being used to create germ-free barriers for medical tubing.

and allow sharks to glide up to almost 70 km/h underwater. Sharkskin swimsuits were banned following a record-break ing 2008 Olympics, but its unique shape has also been found to prevent a build-up of parasitic organisms, which blight oth er marine animals. Businesses like Sharklet Technologies have copied this natural design to create germ-free barriers for hospital surfaces and internal medical tubing, such as catheters and endotracheal tubes, which are resistant to bacteria growth. In other words, the power of biomimicry can transforma ‘ferocious

Biome Renewables have looked to nature’s airflow gurus to mit igate the problem. The company’s PowerCone is inspired by the beak of a kingfisher – which can plunge through water without a ripple by precisely moving fluid (in this case air) around itself - and the maple seed, which falls to the ground in the pattern of least resistance. As such, the blades absorb more gusts and channel the wind in a way to enhance performance. The result? 51% peak aero dynamic efficiency, a 6% increase in annual energy production and less noise. Medical – sharkskin medical tubing When you think of sharks, it’s likely that Jaws and jagged teeth come to mind. However, one of the ocean’s apex predatorsmay soon be better known for its skin.With at least 450million years of natural product development, modern-day sharkskin is formed of overlapping scales called dermal denticles (‘little skin teeth’), which reduce turbulence

maneater’ into a human lifesaver. Fashion– lotus-inspired clothing

The fashion industry needs a sustainable makeover. According to the UN Environment Programme, global fashion accounts for 10% of carbon-dioxide output and a fifth of plastic production (main ly through polyester), while 87% of clothing’s fibre input ends up