Shape changing wing that could revolutionise air travel.

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

Not quite reinventing the wheel but harping back to Fred and Orville Wrights idea.



MIT and NASA have designed a new kind of bendable, 'morphing wing' system that is made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic and assembled by small robots.

The new structure could simplify the manufacturing process and greatly reduce fuel consumption by improving the wing's aerodynamics.

MIT News.

The new wings are cloaked in a 'skin' made over overlapping pieces that look very similar to scales or feathers, which makes the structure flexible and smoother aerodynamic surface.

The skin is made from 0.127 mm-thick Kapton (polyimide film), cut into strips with hole patterns on a CO2 laser cutter

 

[dorsetknob]

They Called this wing warping ( invented before Ailerons and Flaps ) in the Birthing Pangs of Avation

Wing warping was an early system for lateral (roll) control of a fixed-wing aircraft. The technique, used and patented by the Wright brothers, consisted of a system of pulleys and cables to twist the trailing edges of the wings in opposite directions. In many respects, this approach is similar to that used to trim the performance of a paper airplane by curling the paper at the back of its wings.

Many birds use wing warping to achieve control. This was a significant influence on early aircraft designers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing_warping

Fred and Orville Wrights idea.

AND COVERED BY THEIR PATENTS

 

[twilyth]

If you don't have a symmetrical surface, isn't that going to disrupt laminar flow? You're going to have currents from one section of wing being forced into another section. And even if it doesn't disrupt flow shouldn't it cause vortices and eddies?

 

[Shihab]

And even if it doesn't disrupt flow shouldn't it cause vortices and eddies?

The surface itself doesn't change in roughness(!) and local irregularities (as fractions of the entire wing span, that is). The curvature radius looks to large to cause any unnecessary turbulence (that wouldn't be caused by standard flap wings, anyway).
The most extreme shapes I can assume possible based on the GIFs in the op don't differ from your typical fan/problem blade design.

You're going to have currents from one section of wing being forced into another section.

Isn't that how aeroplanes work in the first place? Difference is, instead of having a fixed wing with only a -small- portion of it acting as a control surface, the entire wing becomes a control surface!

 

[cornemuse]

On the wing 'going down', the twist 'warp' causes loss of lift 'washout'. generally, the greater angle of attack (to the extreme) causes stalling & yes turbulance.

In this picture its not as obvious as standing at the wingtip 'in person', but there is a substancial amount of 'washout' designed/built in to the wing. The 'pods' at the wingtips are partially to prevent vortices from air below flowing to above the wing (hi pressure to low pressure)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/04/PSU_Blanik.JPG

(I used to fly gliders & sailplanes, yeah I still have my license, just dont fly, , ,)

-c-

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

Looks neat. Just how far is this from being in practical use? Maybe the Jetsons would know.

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

Wing warping was replaced with ailerons.