BIOLOGICALLY-INSPIRED SKI DESIGN(Master's Degree Project)Challenge: To design a ski for Nordic backcountry travel that embodies as many biological design principles as possible.Solution: A ski design evolved that uses surface tension as a means of supporting a human traveler across the low-density snowpack prevalent in the boreal forest environments.The design exploits the snow crystal’s ability to sinter when gently encouraged by a large number of independent, flexible ‘quills’ that automatically deploy through rearward/downward motion of the skier. The sets of quills, or ‘quillsets,’ are field replaceable by the a highly abundant materials found in the majority of boreal forest tree branches.In testing, the ski was able to support a 190lb skier in a manner that far exceeded expectations from the general formula (force=mass/area) f=m/a.Responsibilities: Research, Design, Prototyping, Testing, Documentation, PresentationHonourable Mention, Student Design Review, ID Magazine, Sept/Oct. 2003
Ecologically sound design is a no-brainer to us. Not only does it make sense from an ecological (life) point of view, but from a business perspective, the industrial era of capitalism is running out of runway - fast. If you want your products to be desirable (and purchased), they are going to have to comply to the future, rather than the past.We want to focus our attention on making “GOODS” - rather than “stuff.” To be sure we do that, we begin by asking what a new product is trying to achieve. Save your money, because if the reason isn’t sound, then the product likely isn’t either.By asking organizations questions around product use, disposal, mateiral and processing requirements, we are able to lead tem toward products that are more sustainable, appropriate, and more widely accepted by their customers.SERVICES - Ecological - Biomimetics
SERVICES - Ecological - Biomimetics
