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What is biophysics? As with all subjects which straddle traditional boundaries between fields, it eludes a precise definition. Furthermore, it is impossible to do biophysics without having a certain foundation of knowledge in biology, physics, physical chemistry, chemistry and biochemistry. One approach to a biophysics textbook would be to refer the student to the literature of these neighboring fields, and to leave the selection of the appropriate supplementary material up to the student. The editors of this volume are of the opinion that it is more useful and less time-consuming to present a selection of the supplementary knowledge, in concentrated form, together with the subject matter sp...
Adaptronic structures and systems are engineered to adjust automatically to variable operating and environmental conditions, through the use of feedback control. The authors of this book have taken on the task of comprehensively describing the current state of the art in this highly modern and broadly interdisciplinary field. The book presents selected examples of applications, and goes on to demonstrate current development trends.
Bionics means learning from the nature for the development of technology. The science of "bionics" itself is classified into several sections, from materials and structures over procedures and processes until evolution and optimization. Not all these areas, or only a few, are really known in the public and also in scientific literature. This includes the Lotus-effect, converted to the contamination-reduction of fassades and the shark-shed-effect, converted to the resistance-reduction of airplanes. However, there are hundreds of highly interesting examples that contain the transformation of principles of the nature into technology. From the large number of these examples, 250 were selected for the present book according to "prehistory", "early-history", "classic" and "modern time". Most examples are new. Every example includes a printed page in a homogeneous arrangement. The examples from the field "modern time" are joint in blocks corresponding to the sub-disciplines of bionics.
What are active materials? This book aims to introduce and redefine conceptions of matter by considering materials as entities that ‘sense’ and respond to their environment. By examining the modeling of, the experiments on, and the construction of these materials, and by developing a theory of their structure, their collective activity, and their functionality, this volume identifies and develops a novel scientific approach to active materials. Moreover, essays on the history and philosophy of metallurgy, chemistry, biology, and materials science provide these various approaches to active materials with a historical and cultural context. The interviews with experts from the natural scien...
Nanotechnology is widely regarded as one of the twenty-first century’s key technologies, and its economic importance is sharply on the rise. In architecture and the construction industry it has potentials that are already usable today, especially the coating of surfaces to lend them functional characteristics such as increased tensile strength, self-cleaning capacity, fire resistance, and others. Additives based on nanomaterials make common materials lighter, more permeable, and more resistant to wear. Nanomaterials are not only extremely useful for roofs and facades; they also expand design possibilities for interior and exterior rooms and spaces. Nano–insulating materials open up new p...
Understanding geometry, physics, and biology This is a highly informative and richly illustrated nonfiction book that conveys scientific content in a clear and understandable way. Drawing on numerous examples, it explains topics from geometry, physics, and biology and points out commonalities between the disciplines. The book contains approx. 300 links to video animations and is accompanied by a freely accessible interactive software that allows readers to delve even deeper into the content covered in the book. The content, videos, and software were developed by the Department of Geometry at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. Georg Glaeser’s research focuses particularly on interdisciplinary mathematical and biological issues, and he worked for many years with Franz Gruber, who was highly adept at visualizing complex issues. Includes links to around 300 video animations, accessible via QR codes Compact, informative, and easy-to-understand explanations of scientific issues in the disciplines of geometry, physics, and biology With numerous images and illustrations
This volume examines the extent to which the design and function of terrestrial and aquatic animals are determined by the physicochemical properties of the media in which they live. The topic is addressed from the viewpoint of scientists representing a variety of disciplines and approaches. Anatomists, biochemists, biophysicists, physiologists and zoologists each contribute their perspectives. The general topics examined include: respiration; acid base balance; osmoregulation; water and ionic exchanges; nutrient acquisition and absorption; nitrogen and sulfur metabolism; locomotion; sensory information and behaviour; energy metabolism; and temperature and evolution. Four or five papers deal with each of these general topics.
Basic laws of nature are rather simple, but observed biological structures and their dynamic behaviors are unbelievably complicated. This book is devoted to a study of this “strange” relationship by applying mathematical modeling to various structures and phenomena in biology, such as surface patterns, bioadhesion, locomotion, predator-prey behavior, seed dispersal, etc. and revealing a kind of self-organization in these phenomena. In spite of diversity of biological systems considered, two main questions are (1) what does self-organization in biology mean mathematically and (2) how one can apply this knowledge to generate new knowledge about behavior of particular biological system? We believe that this kind of “biomimetics” in computer will lead to better understanding of biological phenomena and possibly towards development of technical implications based on our modeling.
Developed for humanities students at Yale and intended for the general reader interested in flight, this book is about aerodynamics in the broadest sense. To put the science into its social context, the author describes (with many illustrations) the history of human attempts to fly and discusses the outlook for future developments, as well as the social impact of commercial aviation. Although only elementary mathematics is used, the underlying science is discussed rigorously, but clearly, and with an emphasis on the visualizable aspects. Thus readers whose background is not in physics will deepen their knowledge of physics, gain an understanding of what keeps the huge airliners up, and appreciate some of the details of the exciting recent developments in technology.
The human mind is the most powerful game engine – but it can always use some help. This book is meant for developers who want to create games that will evoke richer and more memorable “gameworlds” in the minds of their players. We don’t just enter such unforgettable gameworlds when we play first-person 3D RPGs with high-resolution graphics; even relatively simple 2D puzzle or strategy games with 8-bit-style visuals can immerse players in worlds that are beautiful, terrifying, mysterious, or moving, that are brutally realistic or delightfully whimsical. Indeed, good video games can transport us to incredible new worlds. The process by which a particular gameworld emerges is a symbioti...