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| NEW ROBOT BRAIN TAKES TO THE SKIES |
| A new robot 'brain', based in part on the workings of the human inner ear, has enabled the production of the world's first small robotic helicopter that can see and think for itself, say Australian researchers. |
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| ABRUPT WING STALL |
| When a fighter pilot engages an enemy at near sonic speeds, abrupt wing stall is definitely not part of his flight plan. Yet for the past 50 years, all aircraft that can operate at velocities near the speed of sound, and angles of attack near maximum lift, have experienced some form of uncommanded lateral motion – where the aircraft undergoes a one-sided or side-to-side upset from the intended direction of flight. At the very least, it causes loss of advantage. At its worst, it could result in a loss of the aircraft. |
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| APOLLO-TYPE CAPSULES MAY REPLACE SHUTTLES |
| NASA may replace its troubled fleet of space shuttles with a new generation of Apollo-type space capsules, a top official at the U.S. space agency said. |
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| SOLAR SAILING BREAKS LAWS OF PHYSICS |
| THE next generation of spacecraft propulsion systems could be dead in the water before they are even launched. A physicist is claiming that solar sailing- the idea of using sunlight to blow spacecraft across the solar system- is at odds with the laws of thermal physics. |
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| FROM THE BONE OF A HORSE, A NEW IDEA FOR AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES |
| The horse, a classic model of grace and speed on land, is now an unlikely source of inspiration for more efficient flight. |
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| THE CONTRAIL EFFECT |
| US researchers have calculated that the water vapour exhaust trails, or contrails, left by cruising jet planes have a small effect on daily temperatures. |
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| ENGINEERS MAKE STRONG, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PLASTIC FOAMS |
| Ohio State University engineers have found a way to make dense plastic foam that may replace solid plastic in the future.
The engineers have also developed innovative manufacturing techniques to eliminate the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in foam production. |
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| FLYING HIGH |
| What do the hawkmoth, the fruit fly, and the bird-wrasse fish all have in common? Over millions of years, each of these animals seems to have figured out how to achieve high-lift in their respective medium…. quickly, and with more stability and less heave, pitch, yaw, torque, drag and cavitation than man-made machines have yet been able to approach. |
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| RESEARCHERS IMPROVE THERMAL STABILITY OF FUEL CELL MATERIALS |
| Electrochemical energy is released when hydrogen combines with oxygen to produce water. Fuel cell technology can capture this energy to power cars, houses, and cell phones. Why aren't we using fuel cells? |
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| INEEL'S SUPER-HARD STEEL ONE OF THIS YEAR'S TOP 100 TECHNOLOGICAL ACHIEVEMENTS |
| Super Hard Steel forms a tough, low cost, wear and corrosion resistant coating that outperforms traditional high-performance coatings. Developed at the Department of Energy's Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, this coating offers a wealth of possibilities for new industrial applications. |
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Aircraft
