A Rigid-Foldable Kirigami-Inspired Metamorphic Mechanism With Programmable Motion Modes and Self-Locking

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Mechanical Engineering
• Kinematics and Dynamics
• Metamaterials and Adaptive Structures

Background:

• Deployable and adaptive robotic systems require compact mechanisms with multifunctionality.
• Intrinsic self-locking and geometric-constraint-induced motion mode changes are key challenges.
• Existing designs often rely on complex actuation and control systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel rigid-foldable, kirigami-inspired metamorphic parallel mechanism.
• To develop a unified kinematic model for characterizing its configurations and motion modes.
• To demonstrate functional adaptability through geometric reconfiguration without reassembly.

Main Methods:

• Utilized screw theory for kinematic modeling.
• Designed a parallel mechanism solely with revolute joints.
• Developed a proof-of-concept prototype for experimental validation.

Main Results:

• Characterized four distinct configurations and motion modes: uniaxial twisting, two coupled translations, and self-locking.
• Demonstrated motion-mode switching via reconfiguring geometric constraints through programmed joint patterns.
• Validated passive structural rigidity in the self-locking configuration.

Conclusions:

• The proposed mechanism enables inherent functional adaptability by encoding it into the robot's body design.
• Achieved motion-mode switching and self-locking without sustained actuation, reducing reliance on complex control systems.
• Principles have broad implications for scalable, energy-efficient robotic and aerospace systems.