Nanoscale traits in forming an inert environment from biomimetics

 Chew P. C.  and Gebeshuber I. C.

 TU Bionik Center of Excellence for Biomimetics, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria & Microengineering and Nanoelectronics, UKM

A collaboration between nanophycists (Prof. Ille Gebeshuber) and architect (Chew Pui Cheng). The research would be a interdisciplinary fusion of architecture, biomimetics, nanosciences and nanotechnology. Watch Ille at http://www.tinyurl.com/illeted and connect with Pui Cheng at http://www.linkedin.com/pub/vivian-c-pui-cheng/79/129/66b

Abstract text: Inert environments are conditions that mankind have always been striving to create and progress towards as the general population starts to congregate in higher density of communities. The more deficit they have of a natural environment, the more closed up the internal environment is towards the outside world. Of course, the higher the density of population, the more need for privacy of the users of the internal environment. A strive for nano-technological implementation in construction materials has been focused on to ensure a longer lifespan of the building, therefore making it more ‘sustainable’. I’m interested in investigating how living organisms do the same, and how they create their own inert environment to protect themselves from the natural environment. At a nano-scale looking at the structure and materiality of feathers of birds, hairs of animals, exoskeletons of how they form to be an ’environment’ proof hide. And also, the accountability of the surrounding living environments that directly contribute to the livelihood of the organism.