An origami-inspired, self-locking robotic arm that can be folded flat

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Origami Engineering

Background:

• Foldable arms offer practical solutions for mobile robots and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to access confined spaces.
• Origami-inspired designs provide lightweight, compact, and scalable structures but often lack sufficient stiffness for practical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the limitation of structural stiffness in origami-inspired foldable structures.
• To develop a simple yet effective stiffening mechanism for foldable arms without compromising inherent origami advantages.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a novel stiffening mechanism based on the origami principle of perpendicular folding.
• Integration of a single electric motor for actuation, enabling simultaneous control over shape and stiffness.

Main Results:

• The proposed stiffening mechanism proved effective in enhancing the structural integrity of a foldable arm.
• The actuated foldable arm successfully enabled a UAV to perform various tasks within a confined environment.

Conclusions:

• The developed origami-inspired stiffening mechanism overcomes the stiffness limitations of foldable structures.
• This innovation allows for the practical deployment of foldable arms in robotics and UAV applications for confined space operations.