I might be incredibly abnormal (some people tell me that I am), but I kind of like the sound of helicopters--to me it's somewhat synonymous with action flicks and epic moments, of which I am more than partial to--but I guess there are some that would welcome these Blue Edge blades.
Cutting down on the 'blade-vortex interaction' that causes the loudness of helicopters today, Blue Edge works with another technology called Blue Pulse to combat that phenomenon.
According to Gizmodo, by adding 3 flaps to the edge of the Blue Edge blade, they "move up and down at 15 to 40 times per second, using piezoelectric motors that also help to reduce the blade-vortex interaction."
Silent Helicopter Blades
The Blue Edge Makes a Move Towards 'Whisper Mode'
Trend Themes
1. Silent Helicopter Blades - The development of Blue Edge blades and Blue Pulse technology presents an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the helicopter industry, by significantly reducing the noise generated by helicopters.
2. Noise Reduction Technology - The application of piezoelectric motors and flaps to reduce blade-vortex interaction can be extended to other industries, such as wind turbines or HVAC systems, providing a disruptive innovation opportunity for noise reduction technology.
3. Piezoelectric Motors - The use of piezoelectric motors for the precise movement of flaps in the Blue Edge blades can be leveraged in industries like robotics or medical devices, offering a disruptive innovation opportunity for miniaturized and efficient motor technology.
Industry Implications
1. Helicopter Manufacturing - The development and adoption of Blue Edge blades and Blue Pulse technology can disrupt the helicopter manufacturing industry, by enabling the production of quieter and more customer-friendly helicopter models.
2. Wind Energy - The noise reduction technology applied in Blue Edge blades can be applied to wind turbines, offering a disruptive innovation opportunity in the wind energy industry by reducing noise pollution associated with wind farms.
3. Robotics - The utilization of piezoelectric motors in the Blue Edge blades presents a disruptive innovation opportunity in the robotics industry, allowing for more compact and efficient motor systems in robotic applications.