Passengers on a train experience noise from a variety of sources. The noise increases as the speed increases. It would be a disservice to travelers to slow down the train just to make the ride quieter. Commuters want to be able to get to where they are going in as little time as possible.

The pantograph is necessary because it connects the train to overhead wires as its source of power. Unfortunately, it is a source of noise due to vibrations at high speeds. A new design that eliminated the vibrations was inspired by the study of owl feathers.

An owl's feathers have tiny serrations on the edges. This allows the owl to quietly sneak up on prey at night.

By including tiny serrations on the edges of the pantograph, the noise was eliminated.

The original design of the shape of the train resulted in a popping noise when going through a tunnel.

The shape of the Kingfisher's body is optimal for transitioning from air to water to catch fish.

The Kingfisher's body was studied as part of redesigning the shape of the nose of the train.

With the train's nose reshaped like the Kingfisher's beak, the popping sound was eliminated.