PatenteNatur – NaturPatente: that’s the title of a new DVD produced by the Steinbeis Transfer Center for Audiovisual Media at Stuttgart Media University. Commissioned by the Baden-Württemberg State Ministry for the Environment, the film aims to get people interested in bionics – especially schoolchildren. Using engaging examples of “natural patents”, the 20-minute mini-movie shows how the environment benefits when scientists, technicians and engineers join forces.
What do a sheep’s leg bone and the Eiffel Tower in Paris have in common? Watch the DVD and see for yourself. The film zooms in on a cross-section of a sheep’s leg bone, revealing countless tiny cavities separated by fine strands of bone. These strands act just like support beams, stabilizing the bone wherever it is subject to stress. The rib-like design of the Eiffel Tower is based on the same natural principle of lightweight design. Gustav Eiffel was one of the first architects to recognize the potential of applying the latest biological research to design. As a result, the Eiffel Tower is a successful example of bionics: where biology and technology meet. And the environment benefits, too, as bionics helps reduce the consumption of natural resources, materials and energy.
Commissioned by the State Ministry for the Environment and created by the Steinbeis Transfer Center for Audiovisual Media, the film demonstrates how fruitful interdisciplinary collaborations can be. The film is part of the ministry’s campaign to educate people about the environment, as part of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. Accompanied by a set of cards and various exhibitions, the film teaches the basics of bionics using an interdisciplinary approach, making it ideal for use in schools and among the general public. Tanja Gönner, Minister for the Environment, explains: “We want to show people that nature is home to all kinds of ‘patents’ and innovations of its own, which we can use to develop ingenious products and contribute to sustainable development. Bionics is about building mutually beneficial bridges between people, technology and the environment.”
The film crew at Stuttgart Media University visited a wide variety of research sites during shooting. Experts from the Competence Network Biomimetics at the University of Freiburg were also on hand to provide scientific guidance. “The film’s mission was to illustrate the complex, interconnected nature of research and the environment in an understandable way, using images and words. We wanted to make natural innovations more visible – literally!” reflects Professor Stephan Ferdinand, the film’s director and a professor of journalism at Stuttgart Media University. “Transferring this knowledge was a key criterion for all parties. For our transfer center, the project was a rewarding challenge which enriched us in every area,” comments Professor Eckhard Wendling, the film’s producer and head of the transfer center. For the first time, the team worked almost entirely in a high definition (HD) workflow. So the film is not only innovative in terms of its content, but also its production – showcasing the technical talents of both the transfer center and the university. The Steinbeis Transfer Center for Audiovisual Media has worked together successfully with the State Ministry for the Environment for several years, making innovative use of media to generate public awareness of environmental issues. This ongoing development work has already won awards. The jury of the national committee of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. bestowed awards on two of the transfer center’s DVD productions in 2007.
The DVD “PatenteNatur – NaturPatente” is available from the Baden-Württemberg State Ministry for the Environment in Stuttgart (in German only).
Prof. Stephan Ferdinand
Steinbeis Transfer Center for Audiovisual Media (Stuttgart)
stz10@stw.de