Shapeshifting material created

A new foldable material that can change shape, size and volume has been created by Harvard University researchers.

Based on an origami technique called snapology, created by Heinz Strobl, the structure is composed of an extruded cube with 24 faces and 36 edges. Pneumatic actuators were embedded into the structure, allowing for the cube’s shape and size to be programmed to change.

Johannes T.B. Overvelde, a graduate student at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and first author of the paper, said: “We’ve designed a three-dimensional, thin-walled structure that can be used to make foldable and reprogrammable objects of arbitrary architecture. Its shape, volume and stiffness can be dramatically altered and continuously tuned and controlled.”

The scientists, led by Professor Katia Bertoldi, connected 64 of these ‘cells’ to create a 4x4x4 cube, that grows, shrinks, and is able to change its microstructure as well as its stiffness. Professor Bertoldi said: “We not only understand how the material deforms, but also have an actuation approach that harnesses this understanding. We know exactly what we need to actuate in order to get the shape we want.”

Although a pneumatic actuator was used in this example, it is possible to use a thermal, dielectric or water actuator instead. The foldable material can fold flat and withstand an elephant’s weight, claimed researchers.  Further uses of this structure could see use in portable shelters, adaptive building shelters and retractable roofs to surgical stents and portable domes for disaster relief.

The research was published in Nature Communications.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maKILHxcGAE