If you have ever taken a plane, preferably for long journeys that cannot be made by train, you have surely been confronted with one of the evils of aviation as a passenger: turbulence. Well, it could be that in the future its shaking, which can cause airsickness or a feeling of panic several hundred or thousands of meters above the ground, will disappear.
What causes turbulence?
Uncomfortable and can be particularly frightening, turbulence is very rarely a problem. Even if accidents happen, crossing areas of turbulence is part of the training of all airline pilots around the world who know how to avoid or cope with them.
First, while a lot of turbulence can be observed when a plane passes through a cloudy area, it can also occur when the sky is clear.
In other words, what will cause turbulence is not necessarily visible “obstacles”, but variations in movement or air pressure in the sky which are therefore invisible.
FALCON, the solution to no longer feel airsick?
However, what we are talking about above could be ancient history, at least for the less violent turbulences. Indeed, in view of a study published in the journal NPJ Robotics on September 24, 2024, airplane turbulence could be countered thanks to… artificial intelligence. Her again.
In any case, this is what Sahin Lale, an algorithm engineer from Caltech (USA), and his team highlight in the study published earlier this year. Their invention, FALCON, surely in reference to the animal whose flight is among the most stable in the animal kingdom, is therefore an AI allowing a device to adapt to turbulence and stabilize the plane while it passes through it. .
For now, the project is only in the testing phases. However, encouraging results obtained during laboratory tests could lead, in the more or less near future, to tests on flying devices. So far, they have only tested FALCON in a wind tunnel. This equipment is used in particular to study the effects of air flow on a predefined body.
In this large tube, FALCON therefore faced artificially created turbulence. However, he was able to adapt by managing to read them and maintain the stability of the wing used for the test.
“ Real-world challenges remain ”
And yes. As with any innovation, invention or technological advance, the simple fact that it works in the laboratory is not enough to determine whether it will have a real impact or interest outside. FALCON, although it represents an interesting technology to make flights more comfortable for passengers, is not yet a ready-to-use technology.
“Caltech wind tunnel tests show FALCON can learn in minutes. However, real-world challenges remain, particularly quickly adapting to diverse and unpredictable conditions and validating performance in various drone configurations and wind environments.” rejoices with great measure, Hever Moncayo, a professor of aerospace engineering and commentator on the study, in comments reported by LiveScience.
The turbulence is not yet ancient history. Especially with current and future climate changes, they could intensify or be present in places where there are usually none or very few. FALCON will therefore have the difficult task of being a solution against the turbulence of today, but also of tomorrow.
As revealed LiveScienceFALCON's next step in the laboratory will aim to reduce its learning time so that the AI can quickly adapt to changes that can be both rapid and violent.
Source : LiveScience
With an unwavering passion for local news, Christopher leads our editorial team with integrity and dedication. With over 20 years’ experience, he is the backbone of Wouldsayso, ensuring that we stay true to our mission to inform.
