ZipFold: Modular Actuators for Scaleable Adaptive Robots
This addresses the problem of limited scalability and reusability in shape-changing robots for robotics applications, though it appears incremental as it builds on existing deployable mechanisms.
The paper tackles the challenge of creating scalable, reconfigurable shape-changing robots by introducing ZipFold, a compact, 3D-printed deployable actuator that achieves reversible scale and stiffness transformations through folding and zipping. It demonstrates the actuator's performance and a four-module adaptive walking robot.
There is a growing need for robots that can change their shape, size and mechanical properties to adapt to evolving tasks and environments. However, current shape-changing systems generally utilize bespoke, system-specific mechanisms that can be difficult to scale, reconfigure or translate from one application to another. This paper introduces a compact, easy-to-fabricate deployable actuator that achieves reversible scale and stiffness transformations through compound folding and zipping of flexible 3D-printed plastic strips into square-section deployable beams. The simple actuation method allows for smooth, continuous transitions between compact (flexible) and expanded (quasi-rigid) states, facilitating diverse shape and stiffness transformations when modules are combined into larger assemblies. The actuator's mechanical performance is characterized and an integrated system involving a four-module adaptive walking robot is demonstrated.