On February 19, 1986, the International Whaling Commission decided to impose a complete ban on commercial whaling. Today, this date is celebrated as World Marine Mammal Protection Day.
Whales are the largest mammals on our planet and truly fascinating creatures. They are studied from various perspectives, with scientists paying particular attention to their social interactions. One of the most intriguing aspects of whale behavior is their unique hunting method. To catch their favorite krill and small fish, whales have developed a technique known as bubble-net feeding: one whale dives beneath a school of fish and, as it spirals upward toward the surface, releases a massive number of air bubbles. These bubbles form a trap, surrounding the fish and allowing other whales to feast abundantly.
At first glance, this might not seem to have anything to do with mathematics. However, mathematicians, like many other scientists, often draw inspiration from nature. They have adopted this whale behavior to create yet another optimization algorithm – the Whale Optimization Algorithm – adding it to the collection of existing optimization algorithms such as the "grey wolf" and "moth-flame" algorithms.
Although this may all sound complex, there are people in the world capable not only of understanding such calculations but also of applying the algorithm in practice and then filing patent applications. For instance, Chinese specialists have proposed using modified whale optimization algorithms for fault detection in transformers (CN119004156) and for managing the energy networks of industrial parks (CN118982204).
Whales and dolphins are considered highly intelligent animals by scientists, which is likely why researchers observe them so closely. They strive to better understand what these animals are saying, isolating their voices from surrounding noise (CN115631756, CN118553250), recognizing their behavior (CN117636397), and determining their location (CN118671771). Scientists at Guangdong Ocean University seem to be attempting something even more ambitious – communicating with dolphins in their own language. Using neural networks, they generate sounds similar to those produced by dolphins, and they have recently obtained a Chinese patent (CN117612513) for their method of generating "dolphin speech." These studies help researchers monitor marine life, identify potential threats, and discover new ways to preserve populations.
Scientists do not only eavesdrop on cetaceans in hopes of hearing something valuable; they also openly spy on them by developing underwater dolphin robots capable of moving without using propellers, which are noisy and prone to debris interference (CN217730744).
Researchers are also trying to understand why cetaceans beach themselves. While we have yet to learn how to convince them not to do so, engineers are designing rescue devices to save stranded whales (CN220053632).
If you are not deeply involved in mathematical calculations, large machines, or neural network training but still love whales and dolphins, you could simply patent an industrial design for a whale-shaped toy, like USD1048235, or a utility model for a dolphin toy (CN218392223).
Observing nature is a great source of inspiration for inventors and designers. Take a closer look at the fish in your aquarium or the fly on your windowsill – you never know, they might just help you solve the problem you’re working on.
And then come to us at LEXPATENT, and we will help you prepare and file a patent application for your invention, as well as provide all the necessary assistance in protecting your intellectual property rights. Call us, and we will be happy to answer all your questions.
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