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Second Nexus © 2019
Eli Gershenfeld/NASA Ames Research Center
Humankind has made leaps and bounds in aviation since the Wright brothers first took flight. While the makes and models have changed and improved over decades, one consistent aspect has been the straightforward, unbending structure of the wing.
Now, researchers at NASA and MIT are looking to change that.
<p>Instead of a single structure, the pair of research teams designed a wing made of individual, identical triangle structures, bonded together through a lattice-like assembly, allowing for more efficient repairs.</p><p><div id="insticator-container" class="embedid-ee1b1245-7f34-4d5c-8a70-c8be74fe7696"><div id="div-insticator-ad-1"></div><div id="insticator-embed"></div><div id="div-insticator-ad-2"></div><script data-cfasync="false" type="text/javascript">Insticator.ad.loadAd("div-insticator-ad-1");Insticator.ad.loadAd("div-insticator-ad-2");Insticator.load("em",{id : "ee1b1245-7f34-4d5c-8a70-c8be74fe7696"})</script></div></p><p>In addition to speeding up maintenance, the assembly would also allow the wings to change their shape mid-flight, allowing further accuracy and a smoother flight.</p><p>Though it's still in the early stages, the design is already generating some buzz.</p><p></p><div id="d4115" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="XVDFK01574873956"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1113850490159271938" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@MIT @Newsweek 👏🏽👏🏽🌟</div> — Eduardo Dourado (@Eduardo Dourado)<a href="https://twitter.com/EduardoiPhones/statuses/1113850490159271938">1554397625.0</a></blockquote></div><p></p><p></p><div id="27c51" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ANS0M01574873956"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1113394235548479488" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@MIT big zoom</div> — リュック (@リュック)<a href="https://twitter.com/fakelucruiz/statuses/1113394235548479488">1554288846.0</a></blockquote></div><p></p><p></p><div id="deee9" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0A52961574873956"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1113383711213535232" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@universal_sci Plot twist: each piece is a drone itself, and they can recombine to anything</div> — Juris Perkons (@Juris Perkons)<a href="https://twitter.com/Thunder_Owl/statuses/1113383711213535232">1554286337.0</a></blockquote></div><p></p><p></p><p>People still have questions.</p><p></p><div id="4462b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4478RJ1574873956"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1113173959531466754" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@MIT LEGOs?</div> — Ty Vaughan (@Ty Vaughan)<a href="https://twitter.com/exidev/statuses/1113173959531466754">1554236328.0</a></blockquote></div><p></p><p></p><div id="709f0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="100J4U1574873956"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1113102575983886337" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@MIT So how many Gs can it withstand and what’s the maximum angle can the wings bend? Is that carbon fiber? Graphen… https://t.co/6jYfpKljwR</div> — Michael (@Michael)<a href="https://twitter.com/Michael12239367/statuses/1113102575983886337">1554219309.0</a></blockquote></div><p></p><p></p><div id="7c10e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="RQTAGJ1574873956"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1115177414915579904" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@FastCompany I have seen these fly. They are otherworldly. Menacing looking, like a black cut out in the sky. Do yo… https://t.co/Xm7PZuNX8M</div> — spaceship earth crew (@spaceship earth crew)<a href="https://twitter.com/patravasio/statuses/1115177414915579904">1554713989.0</a></blockquote></div><p></p><p>One things for sure: this model is ready to soar.</p>
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