Researchers are pulling inspiration from the Wright brothers' twisted wood-and-canvas wings in order to make today's flying more efficient. MIT and NASA have designed a new kind of bendable, 'morphing wing' system that is made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic and assembled by small robots. The new structure could simplify the manufacturing process and greatly reduce fuel consumption by improving the wing's aerodynamics. MIT and NASA teamed up to create a new kind of bendable, 'morphing wing' system made of tiny, lightweight'digital materials' and assembled by a team of small robots MIT and NASA created a new kind of bendable, 'morphing wing' system of carbon fiber reinforced plastic that are assembled by a team of small robots. Miniature robots crawl along or inside the wing structure as it takes shape.