InfoAnda - Mimosa plant 'could inspire machines of the future'

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Ex-Murdoch editor charged over UK tabloid scandal | | 15 May 2012
"Hobbit" debate rages in NZ parliament | 29 October 2010
Justin Bieber leads U.S. pop album chart | | 24 February 2011

Second Love Guru pirate to plead guilty | | 31 December 2009

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Mimosa plant 'could inspire machines of the future'

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail More Yahoo! Services Account Options New User? Sign Up Sign In Help Yahoo! Search web search Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Weekend Edition Mimosa plant 'could inspire machines of the future' AFP - Monday, February 21 Send IM Story Print Mimosa plant 'could inspire machines of the future' WASHINGTON (AFP) - – Airplanes might soon have flexible wings like birds and robots could change shape as they please thanks to research under way on mimosa plants, researchers said. The shrub's leaves, which can retract at the slightest of touches, could inspire a new class of structures that can twist, bend, harden and even repair themselves, explained University of Michigan professor of mechanical engineering Kon-Well Wang. "This and several other characteristics of plant cells and cell walls have inspired us to initiate ideas that could concurrently realize many of the features that we want to achieve for adaptive structures," he said Saturday at an annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. "The phenomenon is made possible by osmosis, the flow of water in and out of plants' cells. Triggers such as touch cause water to leave certain plant cells, collapsing them. Water enters other cells, expanding them. These microscopic shifts allow the plants to move and change shape on a larger scale," he said. The mimosa is a type of plant able to move itself in a way that is visible to the naked eye in real time. The plant's "hydraulic system" makes that "nastic motion" possible. "Triggers such as touch cause water to leave certain plant cells, collapsing them. Water enters other cells, expanding them. These microscopic shifts allow the plants to move and change shape on a larger scale," the researcher explained. Observing the process can be a gateway to designing cells with special mechanical properties, he believes. "This and several other characteristics of plant cells and cell walls have inspired us to initiate ideas that could concurrently realize many of the features that we want to achieve for adaptive structures," Wang said. "We can design those cells according to our needs. We can put those cells into structure, control them in different sequences," he explained. "Currently we are looking at basic research only, but there are some applications that we have in mind," Wang said. He mentioned the notions for example of planes able to change the shape of their wings while in flight as birds do; and other machines that change their shape perhaps to go under a bridge. "You cannot make a plane wing deform to be able to achieve optimum flight condition in different scenario," he said. But "this kind of technology could help that because we can make the wing active and change its mechanical properties." Meanwhile, auditory sensory cells that help humans hear and give them various detection capabilities are another source of inspiration from nature to develop more sophisticated technologies. Chang Liu, professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan (north), led a research group that produced artificial hair cells. "The hair cell is interesting because biology uses this same fundamental structure to serve a variety of purpose," he told a press conference. "This differs from how engineers typically design sensors, which are often used for a specific task." In creating these artificial cells with the use of nanotechnology, researchers have significantly improved the sensitivity of the sensors while understanding better how various animals use them. And all fish are equipped with lateral auditory cells as well. However, amphibians are not equipped with such sensors, which provide still more information about the movement of water, said Chang Liu. For now, he is focusing on medical applications as sensors of fluid in the apparatus or at the end of a catheter. Recommend Send IM Story Print Related Articles US-TECH Summary Reuters - Monday, February 21 Android, video games dominate mobile confab Reuters - Monday, February 21 Internet tool shows French web surfers 'Jewish-curious' AFP - Monday, February 21 Mimosa plant 'could inspire machines of the future' AFP - Monday, February 21 Space weather could wreak havoc in gadget-driven world AFP - Monday, February 21 News Search Top Stories Ink-jet printers inspire scientists to make skin US researchers defend animal testing Oral sex linked to cancer risk Extreme tides flood Marshalls capital Planet could be 'unrecognizable' by 2050, experts say More Top Stories » ADVERTISEMENT Most Popular Most Viewed Planet could be 'unrecognizable' by 2050, experts say Oral sex linked to cancer risk Mourinho home joy as Real close gap on Barca Britain's Fergie 'not invited to royal wedding' More Libya fighting amid fears of 'catastrophe' More Most Viewed » More Most Recommended » Elsewhere on Yahoo! Financial news on Yahoo! Finance Stars and latest movies Best travel destinations More on Yahoo! News Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Weekend Edition Subscribe to our news feeds Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS » More news feeds | What are news feeds? Also on Yahoo! Answers Groups Mail Messenger Mobile Travel Finance Movies Sports Games » All Yahoo! Services Site Highlights Singapore Full Coverage Most Popular Entertainment Photos Yahoo! News Network Copyright © 2011 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community | Intellectual Property Rights Policy | Help

Other News on Monday, 21 February 2011
Huge police presence blocks large demos in Tehran
Iceland president calls referendum on new Icesave deal
Clinton says Twitter helps US tap into youth unrest
Iran forces in streets to curb opposition rallies
Merkel party hammered in Hamburg: exit polls
Huge police presence blocks large demos in Tehran
Uganda's Museveni wins disputed presidential vote |
NATO probes claims it killed 64 Afghan civilians
Afghans say joint NATO forces kill 64 civilians |
Iran forces in streets to curb opposition rallies |
'Unknown' hits box office gold
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Movie audiences discover "Unknown" at box offices
India to launch probe into telecoms graft
NYC fire kills woman, injures 25 firefighters
Space Shuttle Discovery scheduled for takeoff on Thursday
Movie audiences discover Unknown at box offices |
Huge police presence blocks large demos in Tehran
Merkel hammered in German state poll
US-TECH Summary
Turkish PM Erdogan vows to quit party post if he loses vote
Unrest spreads to Libyan capital as Arab protests simmer |
Android, video games dominate mobile confab
Suez Canal says Iran navy ships passage delayed
US researchers defend animal testing
Gaddafi son warns of civil war as turmoil spreads |
Oral sex linked to cancer risk
Internet tool shows French web surfers 'Jewish-curious'
Mimosa plant 'could inspire machines of the future'
Extreme tides flood Marshalls capital
NATO disputes claims it killed 64 Afghan civilians
Space weather could wreak havoc in gadget-driven world
Planet could be 'unrecognizable' by 2050, experts say
First U.S. drone attack in Pakistan in weeks kills 7 |
Lawmakers downplay risk of US government shutdown
Ink-jet printers inspire scientists to make skin
Suicide car bomb in Somalia kills 10: police |
China calls for unrest to be defused after Jasmine revolt |
South Korean spy agency behind Indonesian break-in: report |
Almost half voters think Japan PM should quit: poll |
S. Korea spied on Indonesia delegation: report
Captain charged in Vietnam drownings: official
N.Zealand urges US-Australia on Pacific fisheries
Philippines tells workers be aware, no evacuations
Aussies bank on Lee firepower for W.Cup Zimbabwe clash
South Korean spy agency behind Indonesian break-in
North Korea digs tunnels for likely nuclear test
Music exec slams Grammys in full-page NY Times ad
Philippines sends unofficial envoy to Taiwan
Android, video games dominate mobile confab |
Abandoned donkeys find shelter in the West Bank
Japan winner set for Breeders Cup
Italian seeks kung-fu stardom in Shanghai
Almost half voters think Japan PM should quit
"Xena" heroine dusts off sandals for "Spartacus"
Oscar telecast nixing montages, elaborate tributes
S. Korea to support savings banks amid jitters
Vivienne Westwood takes a royal turn in London
China's Huawei drops US tech firm deal
Seoul shares fall 0.4 pct on steelmakers, banks
Pakistan
South Korea Q4 household credit up sharply
Seoul shares fall 0.4 pct on steelmakers, banks
NZ credit card billings jump in January
S&P: Taiwan dollar's rise won't hurt life insurers rtgs for now
S.Korea Feb 1-20 exports rise 10.6 pct on year
NZ services sector activity at 6-mth low in January
Movie audiences discover Unknown at box offices |
Oscar telecast nixing montages, elaborate tributes |
Xena heroine dusts off sandals for Spartacus |
Music exec slams Grammys in full-page NY Times ad |
Lady Gaga breaks iTunes records, says on drunk diet |
Sudan's Bashir not standing for re-election-party
Shell to sell African downstream assets
Ink-jet printers inspire scientists to make skin
Exiled Bahrain opposition leader to return home |
Yemen's Saleh says won't be forced out by anarchy |
UK's Cameron to push for end to Egypt emergency law |
Sudan's Bashir not standing for re-election: party |
IRA wrongly blamed for North Irish bombing: report |
Manila and Maoists claim truce violations before talks end
Parliament stops work to listen to Iraqis' gripes |
Defending champions Australia launch World Cup bid
Hamburg rout bodes ill for Merkel in election year |
South Korean construction site attacked in Libya
Suicide bomber kills 30 as Afghan violence spreads |
First Pakistan drone attack in weeks kills seven
Birth certificates 'no bar' at World Cup
Death sentence confirmed for Mumbai attacker
Kurd play adds voice to Mideast anger
Three more swine flu deaths in Hong Kong
China official flees to Canada with $14mln
Japan building foreign spy service: WikiLeaks
Thai economy returns to growth in fourth quarter
Pakistan intelligence considers US gunman CIA
S. Korea wins $1.8 major order for container ships
Website a window into John F. Kennedy's Oval Office |
Facebook follower Renren eyes $500 mln IPO: report
Alibaba.com CEO resigns after jump in fraudulent sales |
Spotify eyes $100 million funding from DST: report |
China mobile subscriber total rises to 853 million in January |
Acclaimed Iranian film triumphs in Berlin |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph	VPN on MacOSX	BlogMeter 1.01