When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Diving into the ocean with golf ball-inspired vehicles is what scientists are working on Sayan Sen Neowin @ssc_combater007 · May 24, 2025 16:24 EDT Image by Kindel Media via PexelsResearchers at the University of Michigan have come up with a new idea that could make underwater and aerial vehicles move more smoothly and efficiently. Their inspiration? The dimples on a golf ball. Golf balls fly farther than smooth ones because their dimples cut down on pressure drag—basically, the force that slows things down when moving through air or water. The researchers applied this concept to a new spherical prototype with dimples that can be adjusted. They tested its performance in a wind tunnel. “A dynamically programmable outer skin on an underwater vehicle could drastically reduce drag while eliminating the need for protruding appendages like fins or rudders for maneuvering,” said Anchal Sareen, an assistant professor at U-M. “By actively adjusting its surface texture, the vehicle could achieve precise maneuverability with enhanced efficiency and control.” This could be useful for things like ocean exploration, mapping, and gathering environmental data. The prototype is made by stretching a thin latex layer over a hollow sphere filled with tiny holes. When a vacuum pump is turned on, the latex gets pulled in, forming dimples. Turning off the pump makes the sphere smooth again. To measure how well the dimples reduced drag, researchers placed the sphere inside a three-meter-long wind tunnel, holding it in place with a thin rod. They changed the wind speed and adjusted the depth of the dimples. A load cell recorded the aerodynamic forces, while high-speed cameras tracked airflow patterns. The results showed that shallow dimples worked better at high wind speeds, while deeper dimples were more effective at lower speeds. Adjusting dimple depth helped cut drag by up to 50% compared to a smooth sphere. “The adaptive skin setup is able to notice changes in the speed of the incoming air and adjust dimples accordingly to maintain drag reductions,” said Rodrigo Vilumbrales-Garcia, a postdoctoral research fellow at U-M. “Applying this concept to underwater vehicles would reduce both drag and fuel consumption.” The researchers also discovered that the textured surface could generate lift, a force that helps steer the sphere. By activating dimples on only one side, they caused the air to flow differently, creating a force that pushed the sphere in a specific direction. Tests showed that, with the right dimple depth, the sphere could generate lift forces up to 80% of the drag force. This effect was similar to the Magnus effect, which typically requires constant rotation. “I was surprised that such a simple approach could produce results comparable to the Magnus effect,” said Putu Brahmanda Sudarsana, a graduate student at U-M. Looking ahead, Sareen hopes to collaborate with other experts to improve this technology. “This smart dynamic skin technology could be a game-changer for unmanned aerial and underwater vehicles, offering a lightweight, energy-efficient, and highly responsive alternative to traditional jointed control surfaces,” she said. Source: University of Michigan, AIP Publishing This article was generated with some help from AI and reviewed by an editor. Tags Report a problem with article Follow @NeowinFeed