Morphing dimpled skin could help cars reduce drag

• Autores: Hal Hodson
• Localización: New scientist, ISSN 0262-4079, Nº. 2976, 2014, pág. 20
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • Wind resistance has met its match: an adaptable surface that can alter its aerodynamic properties to best suit the wind speeds it encounters. The surface, dubbed Smorph for Smart Morphable Surface, relies on simple mechanics to achieve this effect. Pedro Reis of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his team has created a prototype: a hollow silicone ball wrapped in a very thin layer of stiffer silicone. Lowering the pressure inside the ball causes the outer skin to wrinkle as the ball contracts, in the same way the skin of a prune does as the inner flesh dries and contracts. Reis found that these wrinkles could be made into a dimple pattern, similar to those placed on golf balls to decrease their drag.