Flexible robotics are capable of achieving various functionalities by shape morphing, benefiting from their compliant bodies and reconfigurable structures. In this study, we construct and study a class of origami springs generalized from the known interleaved origami spring, as promising candidates for shape morphing in flexible robotics. These springs are found to exhibit nonlinear stretch-twist coupling and linear/nonlinear mechanical response in the compression/tension region, analyzed by the demonstrated continuum mechanics models, experiments, and finite element simulations. To improve the mechanical performance such as the damage resistance, we establish an origami rigidization method by adding additional creases to the spring system. Guided by the theoretical framework, we experimentally realize three types of flexible robotics—origami spring ejectors, crawlers, and transformers. These robots show the desired functionality and outstanding mechanical performance. The proposed concept of origami-aided design is expected to pave the way to facilitate the diverse shape morphing of flexible robotics.

中文翻译：

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受折纸弹簧启发的柔性机器人形状变形

灵活的机器人能够通过形状变形来实现各种功能，这得益于其柔顺的身体和可重构的结构。在这项研究中，我们构建并研究了一类从已知交错折纸弹簧中概括出来的折纸弹簧，作为柔性机器人中形状变形的有希望的候选者。通过展示的连续介质力学模型、实验和有限元模拟进行分析，发现这些弹簧在压缩/拉伸区域中表现出非线性拉伸-扭转耦合和线性/非线性机械响应。为了提高抗损伤性等机械性能，我们通过在弹簧系统中添加额外的折痕来建立折纸刚性化方法。以理论框架为指导，我们通过实验实现了三种类型的柔性机器人——折纸弹簧弹射器、爬行器和变压器。这些机器人显示出所需的功能和出色的机械性能。所提出的折纸辅助设计概念有望为促进灵活机器人的各种形状变形铺平道路。