A fascinating example of a science discovery that will lead to a great conceptual design for lithium-ion batteries is in the article, “Tiny Capsules Can Heal Worn-Out Batteries” posted on “Wired Science” on February 22, 2011 at 10:22 am. My interest in this advance is twofold: (1) such microspheres might solve a critical weakness of lithium-ion batteries, fires; and (2) these microspheres provide a great opportunity for what I call “adaptive” or “biological” design. “Adaptive” designs use materials with properties that change based on some variable: temperature, pressure, proximity to chemicals (including proteins), and so on. The use of such materials allow engineers to develop products that respond to environmental changes, as described in the article referenced below. In the article, [...]