Company NBD Nanotechnologies has developed solutions to manage the wettability of surfaces inspired by the Namibian beetle. One of the interesting applications: glass without fingerprints.
By: Yael Halfman Cohen
The company NBD (Namib Beetle Design), was founded inspired by the Namibian beetle that is able to harvest fog from the air thanks to the structure of hydrophilic grooves alongside hydrophobic grooves. The beetle that lives in a desert environment is able to produce water from morning mists weighing about 12% of its body weight.
The Namibian beetle and its impressive ability to produce water in barren areas must survive in order to survive, alongside applications in the field of water production already We have written in the past. But the NBD company identified the unique structure of the bumps on the beetle's wings as a surface with "Surface wettability". (wetting is the ability of a liquid to maintain contact with a solid surface). The company currently offers different solutions for managing the wetting of different types of surfaces and different materials. For example, solutions are offered in the field of plastic, paint, lubricants and more.
One of the interesting applications that NBD offers is fingerprint-free glass. We all know the fingerprints that remain as traces on shiny surfaces such as windows, computer screens and of course the phone screen. The company has developed a technology called "The InvisiPrint" that makes our fingerprints on surfaces such as metal or glass invisible!
In addition to clean windows, the technology developed is essential, for example, for devices with optical sensors for fingerprint recognition (computers and smart phones). The resulting value is both aesthetic but also functional - preventing disruptions in identifying and reading the fingerprint.
NBD Nanotechnologies is a biomimetic start-up company established in Boston in 2012. So far, it has raised $12.6 million in five fundraising rounds.
The company invites partners with challenges in the field of wetting for the development of additional applications.
Link to the company's website: http://nbdnano.com/
