Vortex rings propel: moon jellyfish

1 of 1 Aurelia aurita / Joachim S. M.. / License

Moon jellyfish move efficiently through water by creating complex vortex rings in the wake of their motion.

Biomimicry Taxonomy

	Move or stay put >
	Move >
	In/on liquids

Biomimetic Application Ideas

Renewable energy systems Transportation Medical industry

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[Collapse all sections] Summary

"Through his research, Dabiri has observed that moon jellyfish don't move through water simply by using jet propulsion. Instead, they create complex vortex rings in the wake of their motion that allow them propel themselves forward. Cracking the code to how jellyfish create these currents has the potential to inform the development of future propulsion models. On the horizon are possible advances in underwater transportation or medical technologies administered through the blood stream." (Halverson 2011:1)

About the inspiring organism

Aurelia aurita
Aurelia aurita (Linnaeus, 1758)

Some organism data provided by: URMO: UNESCO-IOC Register of Marine Organisms
Organism/taxonomy data provided by:
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist

Bioinspired products and application ideas

Application Ideas: Energy technologies that could harness wind and wave power. Underwater transportation. Medical technologies administered through the blood stream.

Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Transportation, Medical, Energy

Experts

Biological Propulsion Laboratory
John Dabiri
Caltech (California Institute of Technology)

References

Halverson N. 2011. Moving toward Jellyfish-inspired propulsion. DiscoveryNews [Internet], Accessed 14 July 2011.

Vortex rings propel: moon jellyfish

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