Wind Turbines Use Hummingbirds as a Muse

Could the hummingbird hold the answer to develping a more efficient way to harness the power of wind? 

I don’t know about you, but I am absolutely fascinated by the hummingbird. These tiny, high-intensity insect-like birds always give me pause when I’m lucky enough to spy one going about its business.

Well, apparently I'm not the only one captivated by the hummingbird’s graceful, yet intense flapping motion. A company called Tyer Winds is taking a page from hummingbird behavior and applying it to transform wind turbines. According to an article on Gizmodo,  Tyer Wind has created a turbine that relies on a fast-flapping pair of 5 foot "wings"  to replace the wind turbine's traditional three spinning blades.

The hummingbird-like design boasts a number of advantages for wind conversion, including quiet operation and the potential for less damage during storms. Researchers claim the design also poses less of a threat to birds. Perhaps most promising is that it can be used in compact spaces, creating opportunities for use where traditional turbines often fall short, such as in dense urban areas or within a tightly concentrated wind farm.

It’s too soon to tell if the hummingbird design will give the standard turbine a run for its money, since use is still limited to working prototypess, although the prototypes are being tested in real-world conditions. 

About the Author

Beth Stackpole, contributing writer | Contributing Editor, Automation World

Beth Stackpole is a veteran journalist covering the intersection of business and technology, from the early days of personal computing to the modern era of digital transformation. As a contributing editor to Automation World, Beth's coverage traverses a range of industries and technologies, including AI/machine learning, analytics, automation hardware and software, cloud, security, edge computing, and supply chain. In addition to her high-tech and business journalism work, Beth writes an array of custom editorial content and thought leadership pieces.

Sponsored Recommendations

Shorten project timelines with these hidden-gem Ignition efficiency tips for designing HMIs, provided by Inductive Automation Sales Engineer Reese Tyson.
Get ready for that “where has this been all my life?” moment—over 25 hidden Ignition features await in our webinar. Our experts show how to boost your productivity and streamline...
Advanced software solutions, like those built in the Ignition platform from Inductive Automation, can provide a crucial means to navigating electrical grid challenges.
Unlock seamless data flow across your manufacturing sites with MQTT and Ignition—turn siloed operations into a connected, data-driven enterprise. Discover how standardization,...