Related papers: Optimum Design of Printable Tunable Stiffness Meta…

In 3D printing, stiff fibers (e.g., carbon fiber) can reinforce thermoplastic polymers with limited stiffness. However, existing commercial digital manufacturing software only provides a few simple fiber layout algorithms, which solely use…

4D printing of flat sheets that self-fold into architected 3D structures is a powerful origami-inspired approach for the fabrication of multi-functional devices and metamaterials. The possibility to endow the initially flat sheet with a…

This paper presents a synthesis approach in a density-based topology optimization setting to design large deformation compliant mechanisms for inducing desired strains in biological tissues. The modelling is based on geometrical…

Fueled by their excellent stiffness-to-weight ratio and the availability of mature manufacturing technologies, filament wound carbon fiber reinforced polymers represent ideal materials for thin-walled laminate structures. However, their…

Mechanical metamaterials have continued to offer unprecedented tunability in mechanical properties, but most designs to date have prioritized attaining high stiffness and strength while sacrificing deformability. The emergence of woven…

This paper presents a class of 3D single-scale isotropic materials with tunable stiffness and buckling strength obtained via topology optimization and subsequent shape optimization. Compared to stiffness-optimal closed-cell plate material,…

Robotic arms built from stiffness-adjustable, continuously bending segments serially connected with revolute joints have the ability to change their mechanical architecture and workspace, thus allowing high flexibility and adaptation to…

Human fingers achieve exceptional dexterity and adaptability by combining structures with varying stiffness levels, from soft tissues (low) to tendons and cartilage (medium) to bones (high). This paper explores developing a robotic finger…

Efficient optimization of topology and raster angle has shown unprecedented enhancements in the mechanical properties of 3D printed materials. Topology optimization helps reduce the waste of raw material in the fabrication of 3D printed…

Sim-to-real transfer remains a significant challenge in soft robotics due to the unpredictability introduced by common manufacturing processes such as 3D printing and molding. These processes often result in deviations from simulated…

Variable stiffness is a key capability in biological and robotic systems, enabling adaptive interaction across tasks and environments. Mechanical metamaterials offer an alternative to conventional mechatronic solutions by encoding stiffness…

Metamaterials hold significant promise for enhancing the imaging capabilities of MRI machines as an additive technology, due to their unique ability to enhance local magnetic fields. However, despite their potential, the metamaterials…

A new density field representation technique called the Bezier skeleton explicit density (BSED) representation scheme for topology optimization of stretchable metamaterials under finite deformation is proposed for the first time. The…

For robot manipulation, both the controller and end-effector design are crucial. Soft grippers are generalizable by deforming to different geometries, but designing such a gripper and finding its grasp pose remains challenging. In this…

Mechanical metamaterials are structures designed to exhibit an exotic response, such as topological soft modes at a surface. Here we explore single-material 3D prints of these topological structures by translating a ball-and-spring model…

Fibre jamming is a relatively new and understudied soft robotic mechanism that has previously found success when used in stiffness-tuneable arms and fingers. However, to date researchers have not fully taken advantage of the freedom offered…

Plasticity is inherent to many engineering materials such as metals. While it can degrade the load-carrying capacity of structures via material yielding, it can also protect structures through plastic energy dissipation. To fully harness…

Auxetic materials are a novel class of mechanical metamaterials which exhibit an interesting property of negative Poisson ratio by virtue of their architecture rather than composition. It has been well established that a wide range of…

In aerospace engineering, there is a growing demand for lightweight design through topology optimization. This paper presents a novel design optimization method for stiffened air rudders, commonly used for aircraft attitude control, based…

Critically sized defects are currently treated via autologous or allograft bone grafting, distraction osteogenesis, and membrane induction. However, these methods have major weaknesses which encourage the development of synthetic bone graft…