Double-spiral as a bio-inspired functional element in engineering design

Spiral, one of the most well-known functional patterns in nature that can be observed in structures such as the proboscis of lepidoptera and snail shells or as vortices forming in flowing fluids, has long served as a source of inspiration for humans in the creation of numerous spiral-based designs. Double-spiral is a design derived from spirals, which has been previously presented and utilized as a compliant joint. Advantageous properties of double-spirals, such as easily adjustable design, multiple degrees of freedom, reversible extensibility, and tunable deformability make them promising candidates for the development of mechanically intelligent structures that exhibit unique behavior and reach desired functions, such as soft grippers, continuum manipulators, energy-dissipative structures, and foldable metamaterials. In this article, we first develop the Double-Spiral Design software to facilitate the design and modeling of double-spirals. We then design and manufacture five different spiral-based structures using three-dimensional (3D) printing, including (1) a freeform passive gripper, (2) a highly extensible enveloping gripper, (3) a mechanical interlocking structure, (4) an adaptive energy-dissipative structure, and (5) a compliant planar joint. Through practical experimentation, we test the functionality of the developed structures and showcase the potential of double-spirals for being used in various technical applications. This study represents a significant step towards a better understanding of double-spirals and demonstrates their broad but unexplored potential in engineering design.