Harnessing transition waves to realize deployable structures
Abstract
From foldable chairs and umbrellas to tents and solar panels, many structures are capable of quickly changing their shape and therefore, function. The design of these deployable structures poses two main challenges. First, transformation needs to be reliable and autonomous, and second, systems have to be stable and locked in place in the deployed state. Using a combination of experiments and analyses, we demonstrate that bistable linkages and transition waves provide a powerful platform for realizing deployable structures. We first carefully design the bistable joints so that the transition wave propagates through the entire linkage, transforming the initial straight structure into a curved one. Then, we use these elements as building blocks to create deployable three-dimensional structures of arbitrary shape.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Feb 10, 2020
- Source ID
- 10.1073/pnas.1917887117
Entities
People
- Ahmad Zareei
- Bolei Deng
- Katia Bertoldi
Organizations
- Army Research Office
- Harvard University
- National Science Foundation Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences