Rolling and folding deployable robotics

In robotics, achieving compact storage while maintaining high stiffness and strength when extended is challenging, especially in structures that can bend. Writing in Science Robotics, Jung et al. introduce the fold-and-roll corrugated structure (FoRoGated-Structure), offering enhanced load-bearing capacity and compact storage.

The FoRoGated-Structure uses an interlaced origami design, in which several strips are connected in parallel using a ribbon-weaving technique that enables the robot to be rolled like a tape measure for compact storing and extended into a strong, corrugated structure for use. In its corrugated form, adjacent strips are interconnected by ribbons on one side and sewing on the other, forming joints that can slide and fold. This innovative approach enables localized flexibility, smooth rolling and compact storage, while maintaining arrays of parallel rotational joints that share the same axis for structural stability. The design of FoRoGated-Structure facilitates the accommodation of substantial sliding, ensuring the corrugated shape remains stable under high-load external forces. The authors used a combination of finite element modelling and theoretical analysis to predict the mechanical performance of the structure, achieving over 90% accuracy in crucial strength predictions.