MOD Exploring Smart Materials

[CoffmanStarter]

An interesting post by the MOD ... in particular ...

Adaptive (morphing) structures - offering significant benefit to a number of military platforms; for air platforms, for example, the removal of conventional flight control surfaces can provide a dramatic improvement in electromagnetic signature or offer increased endurance through weight-savings.

MOD Seeking Smart Materials (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/smart-materials-sought-by-mod-for-uk-defence-and-security)

https://assets.digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/image_data/file/6653/s300_20090223_-_D3O_material.jpg

Softer more comfortable Bonedomes made of D30 ?
Best regards ...

Coff.

[Courtney Mil]

Coff,

I'm confused, Mate. Whilst I do work in the Materials Engineering Group at a well-known British University, I still believe that smart material is a nicely pin-striped Worstead, nicely cut and tailored into a single-breasted suit jacket.

Oh, this modern world.

[CoffmanStarter]

Ooh suit you, sir !

[brokenlink]

Could be interesting, remember reading a piece a couple of years ago that they were looking at "shape shifting" air systems down to micro UAV/RPAS size across the other side of the Pond.

[Herod]

But they always forget that the smartest material is that between the human ears; certain individuals excepted.

[Courtney Mil]

certain individuals excepted

Thank you, Sir.

[MightyGem]

Adaptive (morphing) structures - offering significant benefit to a number of military platforms; for air platforms, for example, the removal of conventional flight control surfaces can provide a dramatic improvement in electromagnetic signature or offer increased endurance through weight-savings.
Could be interesting, remember reading a piece a couple of years ago that they were looking at "shape shifting" air systems down to micro UAV/RPAS size across the other side of the Pond.

Dale Brown's been using it for many years. :ok:

[diginagain]

Dale Brown's been using it for many years.Dale Brown's been using quite a few substances for many years.

[CoffmanStarter]

OK ... Jokes and Courtney's sartorial elegance aside ... the technology here is not that far away and the next big thing in aerospace design I'm sure :ok:

We've had the F111/Tornado swing wing ... fly-by-wire and computers to control inherently unstable aircraft like the Typhoon but in flight shape shifting/morphing is surly next ... starting with morphing control surfaces.

This NASA concept simulation is interesting ...

NASA nanotechnology research into shape shifting airplanes - YouTube

But the real current lab interest is quite exciting. Forget the "boat" thing on the video here ... but the aircraft looks promising.

Could bring a whole new meaning to "lets stack for the day"

Shape Shifting Research MIT/CSAIL (http://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/pub/23556.php?from=163707)

I'm sure our resident Professor of Aeronautical Engineering will have an interesting view here ... BEagle

Best regards ...

Coff.