Totimorphic assemblies from neutrally stable units

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 2021-10, Vol.118 (42), p.1-6
• Main Authors: Chaudhary, Gaurav, Prasath, S. Ganga, Soucy, Edward, Mahadevan, L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Assemblies; Inverse problems; Load bearing elements; Mechanical analysis; Mechanical Phenomena; Morphing; Orientation, Spatial; Physical Sciences; Prototypes; Robotics; Unit cell
• ISSN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2107003118

Inspired by the quest for shape-shifting structures in a range of applications, we show how to create morphable structural materials using a neutrally stable unit cell as a building block. This unit cell is a self-stressed hinged structure with a one-parameter family of morphing motions that are all energetically equivalent. However, unlike kinematic mechanisms, the unit cell is not infinitely floppy and instead exhibits a tunable mechanical response akin to that of an ideal rigid-plastic material. Theory and simulations allow us to explore the properties of planar and spatial assemblies of neutrally stable elements, and solve the inverse problem of designing assemblies that can morph from one given shape into another. Simple experimental prototypes of these assemblies corroborate our theoretical results and show that the addition of switchable hinges allows us to create load-bearing structures. Altogether, totimorphs pave the way for structural materials whose geometry and deformation response can be controlled independently and at multiple scales.