Designing continuous equilibrium structures that counteract gravity in any orientation

In this work, Maria develops a design method for deployable structures using the concept of “continuous equilibrium” that makes changing their shape (i.e. deploying them) effortless. Starting from an linkage system, which is an idealized version of a structure with hinges in it, rotational springs are added and tuned to counteract the forces of gravity during the entire motion of the deployment. Interestingly, the springs counteract gravity even if the structure is flipped upside down or positioned in any configuration for that matter.

The key points of this paper are:

  • The development a method to keep the potential energy of a linkage system constant through deployment using the programming of rotational springs.
  • The verification of the design method with a physical prototype.
  • The application of the design method to common structures, such as the scissor mechanism.
  • The consideration of additional aspects that might affect structures designed from these methods in reality.
Using optimization to design for continuous equilibrium results in reconfigurable structures that are more stable, efficient, and versatile for any application scenario. The framework presented in this work will expand the ability of designers and engineers to create multi-functional systems to be used in robotics, infrastructure, consumer products, architecture, and more.
Maria Redoutey

Maria Redoutey