Active Trailer gap for Tractor Trailers

[freebeard]

Nice wind tunnel pic. That's an isotropic vector matrix, aka vector equilibrium. It shows how [the non-Cartesian] Universe is made.

There was a theory using the vector equilibrium made of springs. I recall it as Struck Spring theory but DDG won't show it today. Anyway, you can recreate the vector matrix using bent wires, which suggests control cables on pulleys. Possibly piezoelectric actuators?

Vector equilibiria repeat on an octave scale, little ones make bigger ones (and so on ad infinitum). You could make a morphing Death Star with this stuff. The trick would be command and control of myriad component actuators.

Here is an example of a 2D 3D printed fabric. Spring Theory did this in three dimensions.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/92/30...14c52b8bb9.jpg

edit:
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Further to this, if you look at 3D modeling there is a concept of creating a low-polygon primitive and applying a subdivision modifier. Then you can manipulate the primitive shape and it is applied to the surface. So for instance there might be a cylinder to make the fuselage and triangles or rectangles as a basis for wings, then an intermediate layer (or two) of actuators and finally a shell of octahedrons and tetrahedrons that responds passively.

It's just crazy enough it might work.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by kach22i

I did a search on that and found the strangest thing by accident - and in our expanded topic zone I'm hoping.

Essentially returning to control mechanisms for aircraft that predate the Wright Bros (and were used by them as well) :
Change the wing shape, rather than using separate "control surfaces"