Related papers: Augmented snap-through instability of folded strip…
Despite the apparent ease with which a sheet of paper is crumpled and tossed away, crumpling dynamics are often considered a paradigm of complexity. This complexity arises from the infinite number of configurations a disordered crumpled…
Active polymers possess numerous unique properties that are quite different from those observed in the system of small active molecule due to the intricate interplay between their activity and topological constraints. This study focuses on…
Rigid multi-link robotic arms face a tradeoff between their overall reach distance (the workspace), and how compactly they can be collapsed (the storage volume). Increasing the workspace of a robot arm requires longer links, which adds…
Metal thin films on soft polymers provide a unique opportunity for resistance-based strain sensors. A mechanical mismatch between the conductive film and the flexible substrate causes cracks to open and close, changing the electrical…
We study what is clearly one of the most common modes of deformation found in nature, science and engineering, namely the large elastic bending of curved structures, as well as its inverse, unbending, which can be brought beyond complete…
We investigate the motion of a hard cylinder rolling down a soft inclined plane. The cylinder is subjected to a viscous drag force and stochastic fluctuations due to the surrounding medium. In a wide range of parameters we observe…
By exerting mechanical force it is possible to unfold/refold RNA molecules one at a time. In a small range of forces, an RNA molecule can hop between the folded and the unfolded state with force-dependent kinetic rates. Here, we introduce a…
Folding garments reliably and efficiently is a long standing challenge in robotic manipulation due to the complex dynamics and high dimensional configuration space of garments. An intuitive approach is to initially manipulate the garment to…
Very soft grain assemblies have unique shape-changing capabilities that allow them to be compressed far beyond the rigid jammed state by filling void spaces more effectively. However, accurately following the formation of these systems by…
Graphene's exceptional mechanical properties, including its highest-known stiffness (1 TPa) and strength (100 GPa) have been exploited for various structural applications. However, graphene is also known to be quite brittle, with…
Robotic packaging using wrapping paper poses significant challenges due to the material's complex deformation properties. The packaging process itself involves multiple steps, primarily categorized as folding the paper or creating creases.…
Conventional approaches to grasp planning require perfect knowledge of an object's pose and geometry. Uncertainties in these quantities induce uncertainties in the quality of planned grasps, which can lead to failure. Classically, grasp…
How to form carbon nanoscrolls with the non-uniform curvatures is worthy of a detailed investigation. The first-principles method is suitable in studying the combined effects due to the finite-size confinement, the edge-dependent…
Fitting two different materials is a versatile methodology in manufacturing complex structures. One of the canonical models for fitting is the snap-fit model, in which flexible materials and rigid structures are assembled by pushing their…
Hypothesis: Interfacial instabilities cause undesirable droplet breakage during impact. Such breakage affects many applications, such as printing, spraying, etc. Particle coating over a droplet can significantly change the impact process…
In this study, the phase field model of crack propagation is used to study the dynamic branching instability in the case of inplane loading in two dimensions. Simulation results are in good agreement with theoretical predictions and…
Rubber components and soft tissues are often subjected to large bending deformations "in service". The circumferential line elements on the inner face of a bent block can contract up to a certain critical stretch ratio lambda_cr (say)…
Grasping is an essential capability for most robots in practical applications. Soft robotic grippers are considered as a critical part of robotic grasping and have attracted considerable attention in terms of the advantages of the high…
Electrospun polymer jets are imaged for the first time at an ultra-high rate of 10,000 frames per second, investigating the process dynamics, and the instability propagation velocity and displacement in space. The polymer concentration,…
We use Brownian dynamics simulations and theory to study the over-damped spatiotemporal dynamics and pattern formation in a fluid-permeated array of equally spaced, active, elastic filaments that are pinned at one end and free at the other.…