Overview
Our research provides fundamental understanding about the Mechanics behind Adaptive Reconfiguration of various active structures, soft matters, architected materials, and many others. Based on this knowledge, we develop simulation tools, performance databases, AI-based design algorithms, fabrication processes, and experimental testing procedures, for Reconfigurable and Adaptive Structures.
These reconfigurable structures have broad engineering applications across all length scales. At large scales, we can use these reconfigurable structures to retrofit existing buildings and infrastructures, develop reusable shelters for hazard, create space habitats, etc. At small scales, we can use reconfigurable active systems to build soft robots with complex functions, create metamaterials with tunable properties, develop wearable devices to enhance human workers, etc.
Please see the following two videos for our research highlights. The first one is a hybrid origami truss system for large-scale adaptive structures from our paper accepted in Nature Communications (Zhu & Filipov 2024b). The second one is an electro-thermal micro-origami for small-scale robots from our paper published in Advanced Functional Materials (Zhu et al. 2020).
Reference:
Yi Zhu, Anan Ghrayeb, Joonyoung Yu, Yiwei Yang, Evgueni T. Filipov, Kenn Oldham, 2024a, Mixed-Transducer Micro-Origami for Efficient Motion and Decoupled Sensing. Small. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202400059)
Yi Zhu, Evugeni T. Filipov, 2024b, Large-scale modular and uniformly thick origami-inspired adaptable and load-carrying structures, Nature Communications, 15, 2353. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46667-0)
Yi Zhu, Evgueni T. Filipov, 2022, Harnessing interpretable machine learning for holistic inverse design of origami. Scientific Reports. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-23875-6).
Yi Zhu, Mayur Birla, Kenn Oldham, Evgueni T. Filipov. 2020. Elastically and Plastically Foldable Electrothermal Micro-Origami for Controllable and Rapid Shape Morphing. Advanced Functional Material. 2003741. (DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202003741)
Yi Zhu, Evgueni T. Filipov. 2019. An Efficient Numerical Approach for Modeling Contact in Origami Assemblages. Proceedings of the Royal Society-A. 475: 2230. (DOI:https://doi.org/10.1098/rspa.2019.0366)
Current & Past Projects
This is an open-access simulator that can capture the behaviors of different active structures - including origami systems, MEMS robots, mechanisms, tensegrity systems, knitting structures, etc. The architecture of this package is set up such that it suits educational purpose. Eventually, a note for this package will be published. The package already contains multiple working examples for different active structures. (See GitHub Link)
This research creates large-scale load-carrying thick origami-inspired structures for adaptable civil structures or aerospace structures. The system can adapt its configuration to build bridges, walls, floors, and other structural systems, enabling reuse and adaptation capability beyond current civil infrastructures.
This research direction explores the potentials of achieving complex 3D geometries using micro-origmai systems to overcome the limitation of traditional micro-fabrication techniques that cannot build 3D structures directly. This project created an electro-thermal micro-origami that can fold both elastically and plastically to accomplish complex 3D assembly motions and functionalities. For example, the crane pattern shown on the left can first self-assemble into the 3D crane shape using the plastic folds and then flap its wings elastically. (For more details about this research)
This work harnesses interpretable machine learning methods to address the challenging inverse design problem of origami-inspired systems. We show that a decision tree-random forest method is particularly suitable for fitting origami databases, containing both design features and functional performance, to generate human-understandable decision rules for the inverse design of functional origami. (For more details about this research)
Origami simulation is the underlying research theme of my research. I have been working on developing a simulation framework to capture the complex behaviors of active origami assemblages. More specifically, this simulation framework can capture the compliant crease geometry, inter-panel contact, and electro-thermal actuation of active origami. Based on the framework, I also coded an open-access simulation package SWOMPS to implement my models. In addition to the framework, I have written a thorough review paper to systematically categorized different origami simulation techniques. (For more details about this research)