Eight mason jars, four pipe cleaners, some electric tape, some climbing rope, some red tinted juice and an extension chord later, I had myself a Frankenstein version of an eel's energy storage system. Do not let the extension chord fool you; this mess produced little more than a sticky table. You have to start somewhere right?
My vision for the prototype is a biologically inspired, biologically friendly energy storage device to power future cars. Car batteries are a big problem. Even in the most fuel efficient vehicles, there lies a battery that was expensive to make, contains hazardous materials and will one day end up in a landfill or impound. My goal was to create a battery concept that was more efficient and more echo-friendly using lessons from the electric eel.
Electric eels produce and store energy naturally. In some cases they can release a bolt of energy as strong as 600 volts. The species is able to produce, store and release a massize amount of energy without harming its organs. It's brilliant!
As I understand it, an eel’s food is turned into electrolytes, which is stored in biological muscle sacks. When activated the muscle cells squeeze, releasing the ions into a channeled chemical bath producing an electric current.
Although my prototype used glass jars, I envision a long chain of flexible pouches (or electro-cells) that would store and release "fuel" in unison, according to the needs of an engine.
Like this:
Although my prototype used glass jars, I envision a long chain of flexible pouches (or electro-cells) that would store and release "fuel" in unison, according to the needs of an engine.
Like this:
Biomimicry provides incredible inspiration to the design process. However, it is easy to sample one function of a living creature while ignoring the other principles of life:
Here's a reminder of the Six Life Principles:
A. Life creates conditions conducive to life
1. Optimizing Rather than Maximizing
Using multi-functional design
Fitting form to function
2. Leveraging Interdependence
Recycling all materials
Fostering cooperative relationships
Self-organizing
3. Benign Manufacturing
Using life-friendly materials
Using water-based chemistry
Using self-assembly
B. Life adapts and evolves
4. Locally Attuned and Responsive
Resourceful and opportunistic
Shape rather than material
Cellular and nested
Simple, common building blocks
Free energy
Feedback Loops
Antenna, signal, and response
Learns and imitates
5. Integrates Cyclic Processes
Feedback loops
Cross-pollination and mutation
6. Resilient
Diverse
Decentralized and distributed
Redundant
All in all, I'd give my design a C - it hits on some key characteristics of natural design, but fails to cover all of the bases.
What went right:
Locally Attuned and Responsive
The design is resourceful. In place of an inorganic heap of metal, I'm proposing a coil of flexible earth friendly sacks that leverage the natural building block style of design to store and deliver energy.
Integrates Cyclic Processes
The success of my prototype depends on a coordinated response of each unit. Therefore it leverages the concepts of building in feedback loops to organize and execute on a function.
Benign Manufacturing
Compared to the alternatives, this concept is extremely earth friendly. Although I envision component pieces being made from organic materials, the first few iterations would most likely depend on materials like rubber or plastic.
Optimizing Rather than Maximizing
Since the design is based on a string of component pieces, I do not believe that it is outrageous to create something that is extremely flexible to reconfiguration and reassembly.
Leveraging Interdependence
This system is all about cooperating with the larger ecosystem of an automobile. This concept would communicate with a "smart engine" and know how and when to deliver energy, maximizing the resources of the entire system.
Resilient
A chain of pouches, each responsible for sending burst of energy, creates redundancy. So, when one pouch fails the tens or hundreds of other units can continue delivering energy until the failed unit can be replaced.
What went wrong:
Locally Attuned and Responsive
Some versions of this concept are being designed for medical products where the source of potential energy is derived from the environment (or patient). I haven't figured out where this power chain would get its version of the eel's electrolytes without having to continue to add some sort of chemical mixture or fuel.
Integrates Cyclic Processes
I haven't considered how to reuse or recycle spent electro-cells. My impression is that they would break down fast and need regular replacement, which demands a secondhand use for the broken components.
Benign Manufacturing
Again, I have no vision for component pieces beyond the first iteration, which would most likely be manufactured with inorganic materials. The goal is to create something that leaves no trace elements, but major advances would be required to produce something that performs better than our oil based alternatives (plastics, etc.).
Optimizing Rather than Maximizing
This device currently serves two purpose - storing and delivering energy. It would be incredible to figure out a way to produce energy from other waste components on a car, but I haven't gotten that far on the idea. More to consider...
Leveraging Interdependence
If you consider a roaring engine life, then, yes, it creates life. However, the concept appears to be a fixed system that at the very best breaks down with lessor damage to the environment. It doesn't self organize, nor does it currently create conditions conducive to life. Although I'm guessing it would produce heat and energy, which are both very conducive to life, so maybe I'm aiming too low?
Resilient
Again, this feels like a fixed system - no co-evolution, mutation or adaptation. It could speak to the other parts of the engine, but I can't conceive how it would change as a result of function.
It's a fun idea. It's also a challenge to think in so many dimensions. For the history or design we've been able to hit on one, two or maybe three elements of holistic design. That stopped working. As designers, we're now responsible to consider ALL aspects of innovation - cradle to cradle.
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