Scientists have long searched for airplanes that can change or deform their wings during flight, as birds do. The theory is that deforming the wing would produce a smoother aerodynamic surface, making the plane more agile and efficient than one with many separate moving surfaces. [There she goes! 8 of the wackiest early flying machines]
However, most previous attempts to develop deformed wings have failed because they relied on mechanical control structures within the wing that were too heavy to offset any advantages offered by deformation. These structures are also complex and unreliable, said study co-author Neil Gershenfeld, a physicist and director of the MIT Center for Bits and Atoms.
"People have been studying deformation aerodynamics for years, but progress has been slow," Gershenfeld told Live Science in a statement
, but these new deformed wings allowed the researchers to "make the whole wing the mechanism." It's not something we put on the wing.
This is a side perspective view of a 12-foot low-speed wind tunnel test wing at Langley Research Center. (Kenh Cheung/NASA) The new "KDSP" wing structure consists of a small, strong, lightweight module. The shape of the wing can be changed uniformly along its length using two small motors that exert torsional pressure on each wingtip. "KdSPE" "KDSPs" "KDSPE" "KDSPs" These wings are covered These wings are covered in "skins" of overlapping strips of flexible material that resemble fish scales or bird feathers. The researchers explain that these strips move against each other as the wing deforms, providing a smooth outer surface.
Wind-tunnel tests of these wings have shown that they at least match the aerodynamic characteristics of conventional wings and weigh about one-tenth as much. Benjamin Jennett, lead author of the study and a graduate student at MIT's Center for Bit and Atom Research, said initial tests of remotely piloted airplanes built with these wings show great promise." The first tests were done by a qualified test pilot who found it so responsive that he decided to do some aerobatics, Jennett said in a statement:
Even small improvements in fuel efficiency could have a significant impact on the economics of aviation and its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.
The goal is to build entire airplanes, both manned and unmanned, in such a way that you can morph their shape." . "The wing is just the first step."
The researchers point out that building large structures, such as airplane wings, out of a series of identical small building blocks - what Gershenfeld calls "digital materials" - greatly simplifies the manufacturing process. The manufacturing process has been greatly simplified. While the manufacture of lightweight composite wings for airplanes currently requires large, specialized equipment to layer and harden the material, the new modular structure developed by the scientists can be quickly manufactured in bulk and then assembled by small teams of robots.
"We mass-produce the parts and assemble "them like Legos," Gershenfeld said,
These modular structures can also be disassembled more easily, making repairs simpler." An inspection robot can find damaged parts and replace them so that the airplane is always 100 percent healthy, Jennett said in a statement.
Still, the first airplane built using this strategy won't be an airliner, Gershenfeld said. Instead, the technology is likely to be tested first on unmanned airplanes, leading to the creation of drones capable of flying for long periods of time to help deliver Internet access or medical services to remote villages, he said.
The scientists detailed their findings Oct. 26 in the online edition of the journal Soft Robotics.
It was the original article on life sciences.