Adaptiver Tragflügel mit Formgedächtnisaktuatoren

■ The prototype of an adaptive wing has been developed at the Technical University Berlin by the Department of Thermodynamics, sponsored by the EU through the TMR program ,,Phase Transitions in Crystalline Solids. It consists of a flexible base plate as well as an aerodynamic encasement. Important constituents of an adaptive wing are sensors and actuators integrated into the structure. In this case, strain gauges measure the wing shape, and actuator packages consisting of shape memory alloy wires operate as metal muscles. These muscles serve to adapt the wing shape to an aerodynamic optimum. A number of different desired wing shapes can be realized by suitable control algorithms.