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Updated: Jun 17, 2026
12:33
Origami Inspired Self-assembly of Patterned and Reconfigurable Particles
Published on: February 4, 2013
Actuation driven pseudocrease mechanics in multistable curved-crease origami shells
Kevin T Liu1, Tomohiro Tachi2, Glaucio H Paulino1,3
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544.
Summary
Researchers developed a new method for creating multistable shells inspired by origami. These shells can change shape and hold new forms without constant energy, useful for reconfigurable robots.
Area of Science:
- Mechanics
- Materials Science
- Robotics
Background:
- Shell structures are prevalent in nature and engineering.
- Reconfigurable and multistable structures offer dynamic shape-changing capabilities without continuous energy input.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a general design method for multistable shells.
- To analyze the mechanics of deformation concentration in these shells.
- To explore applications in reconfigurable robotics.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing curved-crease origami principles and developable surface geometry.
- Conducting detailed mechanical analysis of a reference multistable shell.
- Validating numerical models with experimental data across various geometries.
Main Results:
- Identified "pseudocreases" where deformation concentrates.
- Demonstrated competition between bending and stretching energies governs multistability.
- Validated design method across different scales and forms.
Conclusions:
- The design method enables the creation of multistable shells with tunable properties.
- Applications include magnetically controlled robots capable of complex locomotion.
- This approach facilitates the design of reconfigurable structures for diverse applications.
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