Page 107 - Biomimetics: Technology Imitates Nature

Harun Yahya

USA Takes the Viper as a Model in Its Defense

Dr. John Pearce, of the University of Texas Electrical and Computer
Engineering Department, has studied Crotalines, better known as pit
vipers.
His research focused on the pit organs of these snakes. In front of the
snake’s eye is a tiny nerve-rich depression, called the pit, which is used in
locating warm-blooded prey. It contains a sophisticated heat-sensing sys-
tem—so sensitive, in fact, that the snake can detect a mouse several me-
ters away in pitch darkness. 71
The researchers stated that when they unravel the secrets of the pit
viper’s search-and-destroy mechanism, the methods the snake employs
can be adapted more widely to protect the country from enemy missiles.
They hope to develop systems that will help pilots flying dangerous mis-
sions avoid enemy weaponry. Dr. Pearce says, “The Air Force wants to see
if they can mimic the biologi-
cal system and get a better
missile detector.” 72 But so
far, he explains that stud-
ies carried out to that end
have found it difficult to
match the snake’s sensi-
tivity:
We’re basically modeling
the sensitivity of the
snake organ. You can
measure nerve impulses,
but the question is, what
do those impulses mean?
We use a numerical

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