The Silent Speed: How the Shinkansen Bullet Train Mimics Birds

TLDRThe Shinkansen Bullet Train was redesigned to be faster and quieter by mimicking the features of birds. The pantograph was inspired by owl feathers, the supporting shaft by the Adelie Penguin, and the train nose by the Kingfisher's beak. This biomimicry design reduced noise, increased speed, and improved efficiency.

Key insights

🦉The owl-inspired pantograph reduced noise by using serrations and curvature from owl feathers.

🐧The Adelie Penguin-inspired supporting shaft decreased wind resistance for better efficiency.

🐦The Kingfisher's beak shape was used in the train nose design, reducing noise and increasing speed.

🚅The redesigned Shinkansen Bullet Train debuted in 1997, achieving a 10% increase in speed and 15% decrease in electricity usage.

🌍Biomimicry is the practice of imitating features and processes from nature to solve design problems more efficiently.

Q&A

Why was the Shinkansen Bullet Train redesigned?

—The train was redesigned to address noise issues when exiting tunnels, especially in dense residential areas.

How did the redesigned train reduce noise?

—By mimicking features of birds, such as owl feathers and the Kingfisher's beak shape, the train design reduced noise significantly.

What were the benefits of the redesigned train?

—The redesigned train was 10% faster, used 15% less electricity, and stayed within the noise limit in residential areas.

What is biomimicry?

—Biomimicry is the practice of imitating nature's features and processes to solve design challenges.

How does biomimicry benefit design?

—By imitating nature, designers can create more efficient and sustainable products, systems, and cities.

Timestamped Summary

00:01The Shinkansen Bullet Train had noise issues when exiting tunnels in 1989.

00:14An engineering team was brought in to design a quieter and faster train.

00:46The redesigned train took inspiration from different birds for various components.

01:24The Kingfisher's beak shape was used in the train nose design for reduced noise.

01:48The redesigned train debuted in 1997, achieving higher speed and lower electricity usage.

02:06Biomimicry is the practice of imitating features from nature to improve design.

03:19Designers can benefit from studying nature for innovative ideas and solutions.

06:03Biomimicry aims to make products and systems indistinguishable from the natural world.

Browse more