Related papers: Designing a braille reader using the snap buckling…
Hollow microgels are elastic polymer shells easily realizable in experiments. Recent works have shown the emergence of buckling events in dilute hollow microgels under the effect of an added osmotic pressure. Here, we perform large-scale…
Damping mechanical resonances is a formidable challenge in an increasing number of applications. Many of the passive damping methods rely on using low stiffness dissipative elements, complex mechanical structures or electrical systems,…
A block of rubber eventually buckles under severe flexure, and several axial wrinkles appear on the inner curved face of the bent block. Experimental measurements reveal that the buckling occurs earlier ---at lower compressive strains---…
The critical buckling characteristics of hydrostatically pressurized complete spherical shells filled with an elastic medium are demonstrated. A model based on small deflection thin shell theory, the equations of which are solved in…
The discovery of the spin torque effect has made magnetic nanodevices realistic candidates for active elements of memory devices and applications. Magnetoresistive effects allow the read-out of increasingly small magnetic bits, and the spin…
Block-based programming environments (BBPEs) such as Scratch and Code.org are now widely used in K-12 computer science classes, but they remain mostly inaccessible to blind or visually impaired (BVI) learners. A major problem is that prior…
Advances in manufacturing techniques may now realize virtually any imaginable microstructures, paving the way for architected materials with properties beyond those found in nature. This has lead to a quest for closing gaps in…
A buckled sheet offers a reservoir of material that can be unfurled at a later time. For sufficiently thin yet stiff materials, this geometric process has a striking mechanical feature: when the slack runs out, the material locks to further…
Mechanical metamaterials with bistable elements can store vast amounts of information, but writing these memories requires impractical local control or lengthy multi-cycle protocols. We overcome this limitation with a dynamic control…
This study addresses a flexible holding tool for robotic disassembly. We propose a shell-type soft jig that securely and universally holds objects, mitigating the risk of component damage and adapting to diverse shapes while enabling soft…
Curvature and mechanics are intimately connected for thin materials, and this coupling between geometry and physical properties is readily seen in folded structures from intestinal villi and pollen grains, to wrinkled membranes and…
In this study, we present a concept of morphing structure -- featuring an arch mounted on a compliant base -- that can be reconfigured via snap-through buckling and leverages bistability to retain its morphed shape. We show that…
Defining abstract algorithmic structures like functions and variables using self-made tangibles can enhance the usability and affordability of the tangible programming experience by maintaining the input modality and physical interaction…
In the quest for novel, scalable and energy-efficient computing technologies, many non-charge based logic devices are being explored. Recent advances in multi-ferroic materials have paved the way for electric field induced low energy and…
Knee orthotic devices are widely proposed by physicians and medical practitioners for preventive or therapeutic objectives in relation with their effects, usually known as to stabilize joint or restrict ranges of motion. This study focuses…
During the last decade, tensegrity systems have been the focus of numerous investigations exploring the possibility of adopting them for planetary landing and exploration applications. Early approaches mainly focused on locomotion aspects…
We consider a plate made from an isotropic but brittle elastic material, which is used to span a rigid aperture, across which a small pressure difference is applied. The problem we address is to find the structure which uses the least…
Soft robots are known for their ability to perform tasks with great adaptability, enabled by their distributed, non-uniform stiffness and actuation. Bending is the most fundamental motion for soft robot design, but creating robust, and…
This paper introduces a novel design method that enhances the force/torque, bendability, and controllability of soft pneumatic actuators (SPAs). The complex structure of the soft actuator is simplified by approximating it as a cantilever…
In bistable actuators and other engineered devices, a homogeneous stimulus (e.g. mechanical, chemical, thermal, or magnetic) is often applied to an entire shell to initiate a snap-through instability. In this work, we demonstrate that…