Engineers from the North Carolina State University in the US have investigated the anatomy and behaviour of biting mosquitoes and modelled how the thin hollow tube, with which the mosquitoes bite, avoids buckling. Their results have implications for the development of micro-needles for medical purposes

Although all animal life forms deserve respect and the right to exist in their natural niche, there are some animals harmful to man, you sometimes would wish did not exist. Mosquitoes are one of these animals. The species Aedes egypti, for instance, is a carrier of several diseases harmful to man such as Dengue fever and malaria, the latter diseases kills more than a million humans annually. However, a new study shows that perhaps we can also make use of Aedes egypti for something positive. The anatomy and the method by which the mosquito injects it proboscis (a long hollow tube which it uses to such up the blood with) could provide useful inspiration for the development of biomimetic micro-needles.

Tag it:

?

Be first to comment this article | Add as favourites (172) | Quote this article on your site | Views: 3422 | E-mail

Nature often creates more complicated structures using less energy than we can with our technology. Engineers and biologists, therefore, work together in the field of biomimetics and use inspiration from nature to develop new technology. One promising area is the development of small nano-crystals to give surfaces an iridescent and/or a metallic look. Such visual effects are found in many birds, fishes and insects and are used to attract mates or startle predators.

These effects have applications in a wide range of areas including the counterfeiting industry, in cosmetics and in paints. Traditionally biomimetic photonic crystals have been made by focused ion beam chemical vapour depositions. A method that relies on powerful ion beams to irradiate vapour free nitrogen radicals and other compounds at high temperatures onto a surface and thereby slowly building up the structure. This method, however, is very costly and thus only commercially relevant for production of very expensive nanostructures...

Tag it:

?

Be first to comment this article | Add as favourites (176) | Quote this article on your site | Views: 2412 | E-mail