Viscoelastic waves

Kirigami exhibits versatile buckling behavior through a simple stretch.

Its viscoelastic design then enables control over its deformation at different speeds.

Viscoelastic kirigami is printable using conventional polyjet printing.

Over time, as viscoelastic unit cells relax, they have the ability to unbuckle to their lower speed mode. In larger systems, these unit cells interact with each other, leading to a fascinating wave-like shape transformation.

Such non-linear waves can then be utilized for soft robotic applications.

My Movie 79.mp4

Sensitive to touch

My Movie 84.mp4

Mass transportation

My Movie 93.mp4

Grasp and release

My Movie 96.mp4

Carrying spatial mechanisms

Viscoelastic machines

Viscoelasticity offers the ability to manipulate the direction of buckling in slender beam-like elements.

These beams can be as straightforward as bilayer structures, combining elastic and viscoelastic layers.

This concept makes it possible to design structures with unique mechanical properties that depend on the applied strain rate.

Such beams can be integrated into the structure of complex mechanisms and promote them to multifunctional mechanisms.

Design plays a crucial role in overcoming manufacturing limitations. An example is the utilization of a single material technique called two-photon polymerization, which enables the fabrication of miniaturized viscoelastic devices with submicron resolution.

Gripper-Polyjet.mp4

Manufactured using a polyjet 3D printer.

Gripper-Nanoscribe.mp4

Manufactured using Nanoscribe.

Buckling-driven metamaterials

Mechanical instabilities offer a means to control the deformation patterns and mechanical properties of cellular materials.

By introducing purposeful geometrical imperfections, higher modes of buckling can be achieved without the need for complex loading schemes. This enables precise programming and manipulation of the material's behavior and characteristics.

RotatingCube_simulation.mp4

Conventional 3D printing techniques can fabricate the intricate details of such materials.

RotatingCube.mp4

Rotational mode

NanoScribe Cube.mp4

Length scale: 500 [µm]

Furthermore, this method allows for simultaneously activating combined modes, such as rotational and wavy modes.

The compliance and morphic properties of these designer materials make them highly suitable for applications in the field of soft robotics. Their ability to deform and adapt to changing environments allows for the development of innovative robotic systems that can interact with objects safely and navigate complex scenarios.

Egg.mp4

Robotic-Arm.mp4

Origami-based metamaterials

Under construction!

MecanicalFolding.mp4

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