An anti-fouling surface having micron scale pillars embedded with Fe.sub.3O.sub.4 nanoparticles is designed. The pillars may be repeatedly induced to move according to a predetermined frequency, such as one that mimic that of the beating movement of natural cilia, through the application of a magnetic field. When square-shaped pillars with a height of 10 μm, width of 2 μm, and inter-pattern distance of 5 μm actuated for three minutes, more than 99.9 percent of biofilm cells were detached and via gentle rinsing from the surface having the pillars. The anti-fouling surface enables effective prevention of biofilm formation and removal of established biofilms, and can be applied to a broad spectrum of polymers.

A support device for improving the haptics and/or gripping impression of humanoid or android type hands includes an active surface that interacts with parts (16, 18, 22) of the respective hand to carry out a movement and that has individual stem-like projections. Each projection has a free end face such that the projections at least partially improve the adhesion of at least parts of the hand or a hand protector (10) to surfaces, particularly smooth or delicate surfaces, that are touched. The respective free end faces (26) of the projections (24) are designed such that their adhesion results from acting van der Waals forces between the free end faces (26) and the touched surface.

A helmet has inner and outer shells separated by a plurality of interconnected relatively soft columns or posts. The columns each have a middle post or pillar section, a capital that is of larger diameter than the post, and a base also of larger transverse dimension than the post. When an impact above a design threshold occurs on the outer shell, the columns, particularly the post sections thereof, near the impact location compress and buckle, dissipating impact kinetic energy, while columns spaced from the impact zone stretch and support more of the impact force. The applied force is therefore reduced and spread out over a relatively large area, and a resultant wave created within the column manifold disperses additional heat, further reducing the force and torque applied on the outer shell and transmitted to the inner shell and onto the skull of a helmet user. A method and mold for fabricating the column manifold are also disclosed.

A helmet has inner and outer shells separated by a plurality of interconnected relatively soft columns or posts. The columns each have a middle post or pillar section, a capital that is of larger diameter than the post, and a base also of larger transverse dimension than the post. When an impact above a design threshold occurs on the outer shell, the columns, particularly the post sections thereof, near the impact location compress and buckle, dissipating impact kinetic energy, while columns spaced from the impact zone stretch and support more of the impact force. The applied force is therefore reduced and spread out over a relatively large area, and a resultant wave created within the column manifold disperses additional heat, further reducing the force and torque applied on the outer shell and transmitted to the inner shell and onto the skull of a helmet user. A method and mold for fabricating the column manifold are also disclosed.

A helmet has inner and outer shells separated by a plurality of interconnected relatively soft columns or posts. The columns each have a middle post or pillar section, a capital that is of larger diameter than the post, and a base also of larger transverse dimension than the post. When an impact above a design threshold occurs on the outer shell, the columns, particularly the post sections thereof, near the impact location compress and buckle, dissipating impact kinetic energy, while columns spaced from the impact zone stretch and support more of the impact force. The applied force is therefore reduced and spread out over a relatively large area, and a resultant wave created within the column manifold disperses additional heat, further reducing the force and torque applied on the outer shell and transmitted to the inner shell and onto the skull of a helmet user. A method and mold for fabricating the column manifold are also disclosed.

An anti-fouling surface having micron scale pillars embedded with Fe.sub.3O.sub.4 nanoparticles is designed. The pillars may be repeatedly induced to move according to a predetermined frequency, such as one that mimic that of the beating movement of natural cilia, through the application of a magnetic field. When square-shaped pillars with a height of 10 m, width of 2 m, and inter-pattern distance of 5 m actuated for three minutes, more than 99.9 percent of biofilm cells were detached and via gentle rinsing from the surface having the pillars. The anti-fouling surface enables effective prevention of biofilm formation and removal of established biofilms, and can be applied to a broad spectrum of polymers.

A method for producing a plastic product including a support (30) having protruding stem parts (36) having at their free ends head parts (38) with a wider diameter compared with the stem parts (36). The stem parts and the head parts are formed in cavities (16) of a moulding screen (12) that are formed, on their sides facing away from the support (30) in a shaping zone of the moulding screen (12). The shaping zone is sealed off from the environment by a counter-face (20) such that a predefinable amount of air enclosed in the shaping zone exerts a counter-pressure on the plastic material introduced into the respective cavity (16) of the shaping zone to support the shaping process.

A helmet has inner and outer shells separated by a plurality of interconnected relatively soft columns or posts. The columns each have a middle post or pillar section, a capital that is of larger diameter than the post, and a base also of larger transverse dimension than the post. When an impact above a design threshold occurs on the outer shell, the columns, particularly the post sections thereof, near the impact location compress and buckle, dissipating impact kinetic energy, while columns spaced from the impact zone stretch and support more of the impact force. The applied force is therefore reduced and spread out over a relatively large area, and a resultant wave created within the column manifold disperses additional heat, further reducing the force and torque applied on the outer shell and transmitted to the inner shell and onto the skull of a helmet user. A method and mold for fabricating the column manifold are also disclosed.