✈️ DARPA greenlights jet-powered shape-shifting demon plane

Plus: Robot shoes and coal’s unexpected role in next-gen electronics                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 January 05, 2024 | [Read Online]( DARPA plans to build an experimental unmanned aircraft that can alter its shape during flight using compressed air jets to modify the swirling airflow enveloping the plane. Dubbed X-65 and set for 2025 debut, the innovative showpiece will replace traditional physical control surfaces with active flow control nozzles embedded to enable smooth morphing and adjust lift. If the 500 effectors prove capable of regulating the plane’s diamond-shaped 30-foot wingspan to steer turns as reliably as movable flaps, the revolutionary concept could remove a level of complexity from aviation. Join us in today’s [Must Read]( as we explore DARPA’s genuinely radical design — a jet-powered plane that shift shapes at will. 🎙 New podcast [Retrofit AI and automation: the future of construction and mining]( 📺 [Subscribe to IE Originals]( for our weekly pick of the best science, tech, and engineering videos from around the world. Good morning. I’m Tim, newsletter editor at IE. This is the Blueprint. Let’s get into it. Reading time: 5 minutes Did a friend forward this e-mail to you? [Subscribe ✉](  VIDEO OF THE DAY Shining a light on the controversial history of light bulbs A fear of darkness is deeply ingrained in humans, prompting the invention of various light sources over time, from campfires to modern light bulbs. 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MUST READ ✅ [DARPA greenlights construction of jet-powered shape-shifting demonstration plane]( Called X-65, the unmanned aerial vehicle will maneuver using only pressurized air jets to manipulate the surrounding airflow and modify lift. This novel concept dubbed active flow control can smoothly regulate pitch and roll by blowing localized currents over wings and body from embedded nozzles. Set for debut flights in summer 2025 as part of the CRANE program, success could revolutionize what aircraft controls. Intelligently constricting or increasing airflow over the X-35’s 30-foot wide elongated diamond wing aims to improve stability, turning, and responsiveness without the usual flight surfaces. With the 20-year-old concept now ready for tangible demonstrations, DARPA is ready to launch a futuristic new class of smooth, shape-shifting vehicles. [Read more >]( [TRANSPORTATION]( 🛼 [Moonwalkers X: Shift Robotics to unveil upgraded robot shoes at CES 2024]( Robotics firm Shift unveils the upgraded Moonwalkers X exoskeleton footwear at CES 2024, trimming weight while enhancing control and strength. Designed for workplace mobility in locations like warehouses that require extensive walking, the electric 6-wheeled shoes aim to double employee productivity and speed. The $1,500 rolling skates promise a revolution in on-the-job transportation enabled by artificial intelligence. [Read more >]( [SCIENCE]( ⚫️ [New study discovers coal's unexpected role in next-gen microelectronics]( Leveraging the carbon in coal’s to synthesize nanoscale atomic layers could help insulate next-generation microelectronics. By converting coal char into pure carbon dots and ultrathin sheets, researchers doubled the speed of memristors and transistors. However, realizing the commercial potential of this technique requires scaled-up production processes. If the challenges are solved, this unexpected use of the original fossil fuel could contribute to energy-efficient AI and computing. [Read more >]( JOB ALERT In this section you’ll find the latest jobs as featured on: [jobs.interestingengineering.com]( [Senior Java Engineer]( at Sainsburys London, UK [Blue Origin, LLC]( at Reliability (RAMS) Engineer - Engines (R38317) Los Angeles (US) [Senior Staff Blockchain Security Engineer]( at Coinbase Remote [Senior Engineer]( at Alliance Inspection Management, LLC Farmington Hills, MI - Remote [Software Engineer - Rendering Engine, PICO]( at ByteDance & San Jose (US) [See More Jobs >]( Question of the Day Do you think Shift Robotics’ Moonwalker X shoes will prove popular among warehouse workers? [Yes, a good way to get around fast]( [No, they sound risky]( [They'll prove popular with kids!]( [They sound fun, I want a pair]( YESTERDAY'S RESULTS Yesterday, we asked if you agree that the Cybertruck would make a great police patrol vehicle. Here are the results. 🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Yes, the perfect solution (14%) 🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️ Maybe, but they are too scarce and expensive (31%) 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 No, a crazy, impractical idea (34%) 🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ The taxpayer should decide (21%) “It's thrilling to be able to say, 'we're building an AFC X-plane.’ I came to DARPA in 1999 to work on a program called Micro Adaptive Flow Control, which help pioneer the foundational understanding of fluid dynamics that eventually led to CRANE.” Dr. Richard Wlezien, DARPA's program manager for CRANE THINGS WE LOVE [[LEVOIT Smart Humidifier] LEVOIT Smart Humidifier $127.48]( [[Infrared Space Heater] Infrared Space Heater $143.99]( [[KitchenAid Burr Coffee Grinder] KitchenAid Burr Coffee Grinder $139.95]( [[XIEBro Robot Vacuum] XIEBro Robot Vacuum $189.99]( AND ANOTHER THING - IE+ [Is it time to rethink Dyson Spheres?]( - [Engineer crafts e-ink screen weather station powered by solar tech]( - [PolyU researchers craft materials, achieve 99.6% solar reflectivity]( - [New technology enables drones to navigate around obstacles autonomously]( Need help with advertising? 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