Engineers build ‘pop-up robots’.
Harvard engineers have developed a new technique allowing robotic insects to be mass produced flat on a sheet, and then popped up. Inspired by pop-up books, the system has taken what used to be a painstaking production process to build the robots one at a time by hand, and turn it into a flawless automated process with virtually no error.
In prototypes, 18 layers of carbon fiber, Kapton (a plastic film), titanium, brass, ceramic, and adhesive sheets have been laminated together in a complex, laser-cut design. The structure incorporates flexible hinges that allow the three-dimensional product—just 2.4 millimeters tall—to assemble in one movement, like a pop-up book.
The implications of this novel fabrication strategy go far beyond these micro-air vehicles. The same mass-production technique could be used for high-power switching, optical systems, and other tightly integrated electromechanical devices that have parts on the scale of micrometers to centimeters.
Check out a video of the pop-up action, here.
via 8bitfuture:
(Source: seas.harvard.edu, via emergentfutures)
Engineers build ‘pop-up robots’.
Harvard engineers have developed a new technique allowing robotic insects to be mass produced flat on a sheet, and then popped up. Inspired by pop-up books, the system has taken what used to be a painstaking production process to build the robots one at a time by hand, and turn it into a flawless automated process with virtually no error.
In prototypes, 18 layers of carbon fiber, Kapton (a plastic film), titanium, brass, ceramic, and adhesive sheets have been laminated together in a complex, laser-cut design. The structure incorporates flexible hinges that allow the three-dimensional product—just 2.4 millimeters tall—to assemble in one movement, like a pop-up book.
The implications of this novel fabrication strategy go far beyond these micro-air vehicles. The same mass-production technique could be used for high-power switching, optical systems, and other tightly integrated electromechanical devices that have parts on the scale of micrometers to centimeters.
Check out a video of the pop-up action, here.
via 8bitfuture:
(Source: seas.harvard.edu, via emergentfutures)
Posted 3 months ago 137 notes
Notes:
-
solidworks-tutorial reblogged this from 8bitfuture
-
live-sport liked this
-
anime-hentai liked this
-
butteagle reblogged this from 8bitfuture
-
parameterchild reblogged this from hexagonalawarenessproject
-
parameterchild liked this
-
hexagonalawarenessproject reblogged this from ayeuser
-
bearmod liked this
-
bearmod reblogged this from 8bitfuture
-
graceplinx reblogged this from 8bitfuture
-
sciencyandgeeky reblogged this from churchofindustry
-
rj-anderson reblogged this from 8bitfuture and added:
Inspired by children’s books. Awesome.
-
mierenneuken liked this
-
urban-retrace reblogged this from 8bitfuture
-
urban-retrace liked this
-
motionpixel liked this
-
followingfalsehope liked this
-
studio630 reblogged this from emergentfutures
-
alexglow liked this
-
thesoftwatches liked this
-
thingsdisappear liked this
-
molly-millions reblogged this from churchofindustry
-
vitrification reblogged this from emergentfutures
-
awkbawk reblogged this from churchofindustry
-
todkon liked this
-
mbmeredith reblogged this from emergentfutures and added:
Hmm…idea: pop-up 3D printing!
-
zaibatsuboy liked this
-
31415926-5 liked this
-
boscothemigh liked this
-
profesormoriarty liked this
-
unfathomablyastounding reblogged this from churchofindustry
-
unfathomablyastounding liked this
-
criticaltoys reblogged this from emergentfutures
-
therewasanaughtyboy reblogged this from churchofindustry
-
glamnarc liked this
-
ryancorpse reblogged this from churchofindustry
-
communisticvirus reblogged this from churchofindustry
-
duzour liked this
-
gold-pot reblogged this from goldenchance
-
goldenchance reblogged this from churchofindustry
-
nefferlemort reblogged this from churchofindustry
-
molly-millions liked this
-
nefferlemort liked this
-
sarahsprite liked this
-
weeaboo-chan liked this
-
churchofindustry reblogged this from emergentfutures
-
moderncathedral liked this
-
moderncathedral reblogged this from emergentfutures
-
jaydasmom liked this
-
ca-la reblogged this from emergentfutures
- Show more notes
