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Introduction
In a breakthrough discovery, a team of engineers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has developed a novel dynamic metamaterial inspired by the mechanics of vintage push puppet toys. This innovative material has the potential to revolutionize various fields, including soft robotics, reconfigurable structures, and space engineering. With its unique ability to change shape and stiffness in a controlled manner, this metamaterial is poised to open up new possibilities for designers and engineers.
UCLA Engineers Develop Shape-Shifting Metamaterial Inspired by Classic Toys
UCLA Engineers Develop Shape-Shifting Metamaterial Inspired by Classic Toys
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Aug 13, 2024
A team of engineers at UCLA has created a novel dynamic metamaterial inspired by the mechanics of vintage push puppet toys, with potential applications in soft robotics, reconfigurable structures, and space engineering.
Push puppet toys, which collapse and stand upright by manipulating internal cords, served as the inspiration for this new material. In these toys, pulling cords tightens them, making the toy stiff, while loosening them causes the limbs to collapse. The UCLA researchers applied this principle to develop a metamaterial that can change its shape and stiffness in a controlled manner.
The metamaterial, detailed in a study published in ‘Materials Horizons’, is constructed from interlocking cone-tipped beads with cords that are either motor-driven or self-actuating. When the cords are tightened, the beads jam together, causing the material to stiffen while maintaining its structural integrity.
The study highlights the metamaterial’s versatility, offering several potential applications:
+ Tunable Stiffness: The stiffness of the material can be adjusted by varying the tension in the cords. When fully tightened, the material becomes extremely rigid, while adjusting the tension allows it to flex while retaining strength. This is achieved through the precise geometry of the nesting cones and the friction between them.
+ Reusability and Storage: The material can repeatedly collapse and stiffen, making it suitable for designs requiring repeated movements. It is also easily stored and transported in its limp, undeployed state.
+ Enhanced Performance: Upon deployment, the material can become more than 35 times stiffer, with a 50% change in its damping capability.
+ Self-Actuation Potential: The material could be designed to self-actuate, using artificial tendons to change shape without the need for human intervention.
“Our metamaterial enables new capabilities, showing great potential for its incorporation into robotics, reconfigurable structures and space engineering,” said Wenzhong Yan, corresponding author and postdoctoral scholar at UCLA’s Samueli School of Engineering. “Built with this material, a self-deployable soft robot, for example, could calibrate its limbs’ stiffness to accommodate different terrains for optimal movement while retaining its body structure. The sturdy metamaterial could also help a robot lift, push or pull objects.”
Conclusion
The UCLA team’s innovative metamaterial has the potential to revolutionize various fields, including soft robotics, reconfigurable structures, and space engineering. With its unique ability to change shape and stiffness in a controlled manner, this metamaterial is poised to open up new possibilities for designers and engineers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the inspiration behind this metamaterial?
The inspiration behind this metamaterial is the mechanics of vintage push puppet toys, which collapse and stand upright by manipulating internal cords.
What are the potential applications of this metamaterial?
The potential applications of this metamaterial include soft robotics, reconfigurable structures, and space engineering.
How does the metamaterial change shape and stiffness?
The metamaterial changes shape and stiffness by manipulating the tension in the cords that connect the cone-tipped beads.
Is the metamaterial self-actuating?
The metamaterial could be designed to self-actuate, using artificial tendons to change shape without the need for human intervention.
What are the advantages of this metamaterial?
The advantages of this metamaterial include its tunable stiffness, reusability, and ability to enhance performance.
What is the potential for future development?
The potential for future development includes tailoring and customizing the capabilities of the metamaterial by altering the size and shape of the beads, as well as how they are connected.
Research Report:Self-deployable contracting-cord metamaterials with tunable mechanical properties
Related Links
University of California, Los Angeles
Space Technology News – Applications and Research
