Push puppet toys have long fascinated children and adults alike with their ability to move and collapse with the push of a button. Now, a team of UCLA engineers has taken inspiration from these toys to create a new class of tunable dynamic materials with a wide range of applications, from soft robotics to space engineering.
Inside a push puppet, there are connecting cords that, when pulled taut, make the toy stand stiff. By loosening these cords, the limbs of the toy will go limp. Researchers have applied this cord-tension principle to develop a new lightweight metamaterial, engineered with either motor-driven or self-actuating cords threaded through interlocking cone-tipped beads. When activated, the cords are pulled tight, causing the chain of bead particles to jam and straighten into a line, making the material turn stiff while maintaining its structure.
The study published in Materials Horizons showcases the versatile qualities of the metamaterial. The level of tension in the cords can “tune” the structure’s stiffness, offering strength and flexibility. Structures built with this material can collapse and stiffen repeatedly, making them ideal for long-lasting designs that require frequent movements. The material also offers easy transportation and storage in its limp state, becoming highly stiff and changing its damping capability after deployment.
The metamaterial has promising applications in robotics, reconfigurable architectures, and space engineering. By calibrating stiffness, a self-deployable soft robot can adapt to different terrains while maintaining its body structure. The material can also enable robots to lift, push, or pull objects with ease. The contracting-cord metamaterial opens up possibilities to build mechanical intelligence into robots and devices, showcasing its potential for future innovations.
The researchers envision a wide range of applications for the metamaterial, including self-assembling shelters with collapsible scaffolding and compact shock absorbers with programmable damping capabilities for vehicles. By altering the size and shape of the beads and how they are connected, the capabilities of the metamaterial can be tailored and customized to suit specific needs. Previous research has focused on contracting cords, but this paper delves into the mechanical properties of the system, exploring ideal shapes for bead alignment and self-assembly.
The development of tunable dynamic materials inspired by push puppet toys opens up new possibilities in the field of robotics and engineering. The innovative metamaterial offers a combination of strength, flexibility, and tunability, making it a valuable addition to the world of soft robotics, reconfigurable structures, and space engineering. With further research and development, the potential for this material is limitless, paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in the field.
Leave a Reply