MIT Turning Science Fiction Into Fact with Programmable Carbon Fiber

The fantasy of being able to change the shape of a body panel has been the stuff of automotive science fiction and concept vehicles for ages. Now, it seems like we are getting closer to that reality thanks to an innovation by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). By using various types of energy, from heat to wind to air pressure, they have discovered a way for carbon fiber, wood, and plastics to flex or bend to a specific shape until that energy is removed and it goes back to its static shape.

“The idea here is to take existing material systems like fibres, sheets, strands and three-dimensional objects and program them to change shape and property on demand,” says Skylar Tibbits, director of Self-Assembly Lab at MIT. “What we’ve done in the past six months is try to develop a suite of materials that have different activation energies, like heat, light, water, air pressure, et cetera.”

It also looks as if a manufacturer is already interested. According to Wired UK: “The programmable carbon fibre is also being explored by supercar manufacturer Briggs Automotive Company for aerodynamics, working on the first non-mechanical morphing car airfoil. ‘The airfoil can change in different weather conditions,’ Tibbits explains. ‘So flaps can open up to give them more control or stability in the back, and then they can close down when it gets dry again.'”

So we’ve got that to look forward to. Which is nice.

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via Wired UK