Self-folding shape memory laminates for automated fabrication

Nature regularly uses self-folding as an efficient approach to automated fabrication. In engineered systems, however, the use of self-folding has been primarily restricted to the assembly of small structures using exotic materials and/or complex infrastructures. In this paper we present three approaches to the self-folding of structures using low-cost, rapid-prototyped shape memory laminates. These structures require minimal deployment infrastructure, and are activated by light, heat, or electricity. We compare the fabrication of a fundamental structure (a cube) using each approach, and test ways to control fold angles in each case. Finally, for each self-folding approach we present a unique structure that the approach is particularly suited to fold, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each approach.

[1]  T. Eisner.  Leaf folding in a sensitive plant: A defensive thorn-exposure mechanism? , 1981, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

[2]  Erik D. Demaine,et al.  Recent Results in Computational Origami , 2002 .

[3]  D. Gracias,et al.  Microassembly based on hands free origami with bidirectional curvature. , 2009, Applied physics letters.

[4]  J. P. Whitney,et al.  Pop-up book MEMS , 2011 .

[5]  Joseph S. B. Mitchell,et al.  Folding flat silhouettes and wrapping polyhedral packages: new results in computational origami , 1999, SCG '99.

[6]  M. Dickey,et al.  Self-folding of polymer sheets using local light absorption , 2012 .

[7]  Y. W. Yi,et al.  Magnetic actuation of hinged microstructures , 1999 .

[8]  Robin J. Wootton,et al.  Two basic mechanisms in insect wing folding , 1996, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences.

[9]  R. Muller,et al.  Magnetically actuated, addressable microstructures , 1997 .

[10]  P. Todd.  A geometric model for the cortical folding pattern of simple folded brains. , 1982, Journal of theoretical biology.

[11]  Koryo Miura,et al.  Method of Packaging and Deployment of Large Membranes in Space , 1985 .

[12]  H Tanaka,et al.  Programmable matter by folding , 2010, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

[13]  L. J. Lee,et al.  Self-folding of three-dimensional hydrogel microstructures. , 2005, The journal of physical chemistry. B.

[14]  Robert J. Wood,et al.  Monolithic fabrication of millimeter-scale machines , 2012 .

[15]  R. J. Wood,et al.  An Origami-Inspired Approach to Worm Robots , 2013, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics.

[16]  Leonid Ionov,et al.  Soft microorigami: self-folding polymer films , 2011 .

[17]  Erik D. Demaine,et al.  A Universal Crease Pattern for Folding Orthogonal Shapes , 2009, ArXiv.

[18]  R. Konings,et al.  Foldable Containers: a New Perspective on Reducing Container-Repositioning Costs , 2001, European Journal of Transport and Infrastructure Research.

[19]  S. Smith,et al.  Folding-unfolding transitions in single titin molecules characterized with laser tweezers. , 1997, Science.

[20]  E. Demaine,et al.  Self-folding with shape memory composites† , 2013 .

[21]  Julian F. V. Vincent,et al.  The geometry of unfolding tree leaves , 1998, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences.

[22]  Robert J. Wood,et al.  The First Takeoff of a Biologically Inspired At-Scale Robotic Insect , 2008, IEEE Transactions on Robotics.

[23]  Robert J. Wood,et al.  Towards printable robotics: Origami-inspired planar fabrication of three-dimensional mechanisms , 2011, 2011 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.