Robotic Metamaterials: An Integrated Modular Approach for Users to Create Robotic Applications Hands-on

<p>I propose augmenting initially passive structures with novel active units to enable dynamic, shape-changing, and robotic applications. Inspired by metamaterials that can employ mechanisms, I build a framework that allows users to configure passive, modular structures to perform complex tasks. A key benefit is that these structures can be repeatedly (re)configured and pneumatically actuated by users to turn the passive material into crawling robots, kinetic sculptures, or physical notification interfaces.</p> <p>To this end, I present a mechanical system consisting of a flexible, passive, shearing lattice structure, as well as a rigid, and an active unit cell to be inserted into the lattice for configuration. The active unit is a closed-loop pneumatically controlled shearing cell to dynamically actuate the macroscopic movement of the structure. The passive rigid cells redirect the forces to create complex motion with a reduced number of active cells. Since predicting the placement of the rigid and active units to produce a desired behavior is challenging, I assist users by contributing an inverse design workflow using a software tool, which optimizes the cell placement to match the macroscopic, user-defined target motions and generates the control parameters for pneumatic control of the active cells.</p>