Planes with feelings might sound like another Disney classic, but it could become reality.
Boffins at BAE systems in Essex, have designed a human-like ‘skin’ for aircraft.
This coating is packed with tiny sensors and, like our own bodies can feel everything from wind speed to damage.
Information is then beamed directly to the pilot giving them detailed data on the health of the plane.
The sensors are so small that BAE Systems is exploring the possibility of fitting them to existing aircraft and even spraying them on like paint.
And incredibly, the idea started from simple wash load.
Leading researcher Lydia Hyde, had the 'eureka' moment when she was doing her washing and observed that her tumble dryer uses a sensor to prevent it from overheating.
“The idea is to make platforms 'feel' using a skin of sensors in the same way humans or animals do”Lydia Hyde, leading researcher at BAE
Lydia said, "Observing how a simple sensor can be used to stop a domestic appliance overheating, got me thinking about how this could be applied to my work and how we could replace bulky, expensive sensors with cheap, miniature, multi-functional ones.
“This in turn led to the idea that aircraft, or indeed cars and ships, could be covered by thousands of these motes creating a 'smart skin' that can sense the world around them and monitor their condition by detecting stress, heat or damage.
“The idea is to make platforms 'feel' using a skin of sensors in the same way humans or animals do.
"By combining the outputs of thousands of sensors with big data analysis, the technology has the potential to be a game-changer for the UK industry.
"In the future we could see more robust defence platforms that are capable of more complex missions whilst reducing the need for routine maintenance checks.
"There are also wider civilian applications for the concept which we are exploring."