Multistable inflatable origami – from deployable structures to robots

Abstract

Multistable structures can reversibly change between multiple stable configurations when a sufficient energetic input is provided. While originally the field focused on understanding what governs the snapping, more recently it has been shown that these systems also provide a powerful platform to design a wide range of smart structures. In this talk, I will first show that pressure-deployable origami structures characterized by two stable configurations provide opportunities for a new generation of large-scale inflatable structures that lock in place after deployment and provide a robust enclosure through their rigid faces. Then, I will demonstrate that the bistable origami modules provide an ideal platform to design actuators that can switch between different configurations, reach multiple, pre-defined targets in space, and move along complex trajectories. Unlike previously proposed robots that require complex input control of multiple actuators, a single input signal suffices to activate our robot, as all features required for functionality are embedded into the architecture of the building blocks.