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Complex mechanical motion guided without external control

Mechanical structures have been made that exhibit self-guided, multi-step sequences of shape changes in response to an applied force. Such structures could have applications in flexible electronics and soft robotics.
  1. Larry L. Howell

    1. Larry L. Howell is in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602, USA.

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It is reasonable to expect that to guide a mechanical structure through a complex, predetermined series of shape changes, electronic controls would be needed. In many cases, motors move the structure, sensors detect position and electronic devices called microcontrollers execute algorithms to provide external control. Achieving complex motion using only the structure’s geometry might seem unrealistic, but, if possible, it would have many advantages. In particular, it would simplify the manufacture of mechanical structures and enable them to be readily produced in various sizes. Writing in Nature, Coulais et al.1 report an approach for designing materials that follow a prescribed motion and that then reconfigure at specified points to enter another phase of motion. This movement is guided only by the material’s geometry, which eliminates the need for external sensing and control.

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Nature 561, 470-471 (2018)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-06787-2

References

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