Enabling Programmable Mechanical Functions Using Mechanical Property And Geometry Tuning Approaches

TL;DR

This paper introduces mechanical property and geometry tuning methods to create structures with complex, programmable functions, overcoming limitations of traditional material and structural design in robotics and metamaterials.

Contribution

It presents a theoretical, simulation, and experimental framework for tuning mechanical properties and geometry to achieve multiple complex functions in structures.

Findings

Multiple complex functions can be accurately realized.

Tuning approaches are validated through experiments.

Methods facilitate development of advanced mechanical metamaterials.

Abstract

The rapidly developing robotics industry demands structures with novel mechanical functions. Traditional approaches, developing new materials and designing new structures, face two challenges. Highly complex force-displacement functions can hardly be realized and one fabricated structure only has one or limited function. We perform theoretical calculations and FE simulations to demonstrate that the two challenges can be solved by making the mechanical property or geometry of the structure tunable. The mechanical property/geometry tuning approaches are further validated by experimental tests and the results show that multiple different and highly complex objective functions can be achieved accurately. We expect that the proposed tuning approaches will facilitate the development of advanced forms of mechanical metamaterials and a new generation of robotic hands.